Tuesday, September 22, 2009
World steel output up in Aug, China's at record
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
China’s crude steel production for August 2009 was 52.3 mmt, 22.0% higher than August 2008. It is the highest amount of crude steel China has ever produced in a month. World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 106.5 million metric tons (mmt) in August. This is -5.5% lower than August 2008. World crude steel production has continued to show a steady increase since April 2009.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 8.3 mmt of crude steel in August 2009, down by -18.3% compared to the same month last year. South Korea showed a decline of -5.4% from August 2008, producing 4.2 mmt of crude steel in August 2009.
In the EU, Germany’s crude steel production was 3.0 mmt in August 2009, a decrease of -26.0% from August 2008. Spain produced 1.1 mmt in August 2009, down by -35.2% from August 2008.
Turkey produced 2.3 mmt of crude steel in August 2009, -9.1% down from August 2008.
The US produced 5.2 mmt of crude steel in August 2009, a decrease of -40.0% compared to the same month last year. Brazil produced 2.6 mmt of crude steel in August 2009, -15.0% lower than August 2008.
Iran produced 0.9 mmt of crude steel in August 2009, 15.2% more than in August 2008.
In August, almost all the major steel-producing countries – including China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, the US and Brazil– have shown their highest monthly figures so far this year.
Total crude steel production in the 66 reporting countries for the first eight months of 2009 was 759.5 mmt, a -18.1% decrease over the same period of 2008.
