core sector communique

July 2010 crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to worldsteel

 

Brussels, 20 August 2010 - World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 115 million metric tons (mmt) in July. This is 9.6% higher than July 2009.

 

China’s crude steel production for July 2010 was 51.7 mmt, an increase of 2.2% compared to July 2009.

 

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 9.2 mmt of crude steel in July 2010, up 20.4% compared to the same month last year. South Korea’s crude steel production for July 2010 was 4.8 mmt, 16.2% up compared to the same month last year.

In the EU, Germany’s crude steel production for July 2010 was 3.5 mmt, an increase of 29.7% on July 2009. The UK produced 0.8 mmt, -5.8% less than the same month in 2009.

 

Turkey produced 2.4 mmt of crude steel in July 2010, 1.3% higher than July 2009.

 

Russia produced 5.6 mmt of crude steel in July 2010, an 11.5% increase over the same month last year and Ukraine’s crude steel production for July 2010 was 2.4 mmt, down -9.6% compared to July in 2009.

 

The US produced 6.7 mmt of crude steel in July 2010, an increase of 32.9% compared to July 2009.

 

World crude steel production in July 2010 was -2.1% lower in comparison with July 2008, before the impact of the global economic crisis was felt. However, while China, South Korea and Iran showed increased crude steel production in July 2010 compared to the same month in 2008, the US, Germany, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Japan are not yet back to pre-crisis production levels.

 

The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 66 countries in July 2010 declined significantly to 75.1% from 80.4% in June 2010. Compared to July 2009, the utilisation ratio in July 2010 increased by 2.7 percentage points.