Global Crude Steel production edge up to 128 Mt in February

UNITED KINGDOM March 21 2015 8:19 PMTweet
BRUSSELS (Scrap Register): Global crude steel production edged up by 0.6% year-on-year to 128 million tons (Mt) during February, while the capacity utilization ratio during the month was 73.4%, as per the latest figures from World Steel Association (worldsteel).

Global crude steel capacity utilization ratio is 1.7 percentage points lower than February 2014. Compared to January 2015, it is 3.8 percentage points higher.

According to worldsteel, China’s crude steel production for February 2015 was estimated at 65.0 Mt. The total production for January and February 2015 in China has been confirmed at 130.5 Mt. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 8.4 Mt of crude steel in February 2015, a decrease of -0.2% compared to February 2014. South Korea’s crude steel production was 5.1 Mt, down by -4.4% on February 2014.

In the EU, Germany produced 3.5 Mt of crude steel in February 2015, a decrease of -1.6% compared to February 2014. Italy produced 2.0 Mt of crude steel, down by -9.7% on February 2014. France’s crude steel production was 1.3 Mt, a decrease of -1.6% compared to February 2014. Spain produced 1.1 Mt of crude steel, down by -4.4% compared to February 2014.

Turkey’s crude steel production for February 2015 was 2.4 Mt, down by -12.2% on February 2014.

In February 2015, Russia produced 5.7 Mt of crude steel, up by 5.6% over February 2014. Ukraine produced 1.6 Mt of crude steel, down by -33.2% compared to the same month 2014.

The US produced 6.3 Mt of crude steel in February 2015, a decrease of -7.9% compared to February 2014.

Brazil’s crude steel production for February 2015 was 2.7 Mt, up by 2.3% on February 2014.

The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio for the 65 countries in February 2015 was 73.4%. It is -1.7 percentage points lower than February 2014. Compared to January 2015, it is 3.8 percentage points higher.