The World Steel Association (Worldsteel) www.worldsteel.org has announced the world crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the Worldsteel, Brussels, was 130 million metric tons in May 2011. The number is 4.2 percent higher compared with production in May 2010.
Out of Asia, China churned out 60.2 million metric tons of crude steel in May 2011, up 7.8 percent from May 2010. South Korea also saw an increase in production of 12.8 percent since the previous year, with 5.9 million metric tons of crude steel produced in May 2011. Japan’s crude steel production dropped 7 percent.
In the EU, Germany’s crude steel production for May 2011 was 4.1 million metric tons, an increase of 1.1 percent compared with May 2010. Italy’s crude steel production was 2.6 million metric tons, up 6.9 percent compared with the same month last year. Spain produced 1.6 million metric tons of crude steel in May 2011, down 5.5 percent from May 2010.
In the Americas, Brazil’s crude steel production was 3.3 million metric tons in May 2011, an increase of 14.7 percent compared with May 2010. The United States produced 7.3 million metric tons of crude steel in May 2011, 0.1 percent higher than the same month the previous year.
Iran crude steel production in May 2011 was 1.1 million metric tons, an increase of 4.5 percent compared with last year in the same month.
In May 2011, the world crude steel capacity utilization ratio of the 64 countries was 81.7 percent, 0.6 percentage points lower than in April 2011. Compared with May 2010, the utilization ratio is 0.6 percentage points lower.
More information can be found at www.worldsteel.org.
May Steel Production Rises
World Steel Association reports 4.2 percent increase from last year.