By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)

January 27, 2016 01:34:04 AM

ALBANY (Scrap Monster): According to the recent data published by the World Steel Association, the crude steel production by North American countries plunged lower by 8.6% during 2015. The production totaled 110.733 Mt during the year as against the production figures of 121.159 Mt recorded in 2014. Also, crude steel production by the region has declined sharply by 13.4% during the month of Dec ‘15 year-on-year. The production totaled 8.615 Mt in December last year as against 9.947 Mt recorded in Dec ’14.

The total crude steel production by Canada during December this year was 1,050,000 t, down significantly by 4.9% when compared with the December 2014 production. The US produced 6.035 Million tonnes of crude steel, considerably lower by 16.3% when compared to 7.210 Million tonnes production achieved during December 2014. The total crude steel production by Mexico edged lower by 6.5% from 1.518 Mt in December ‘14 to 1.420 Mt in December last year.

The Cuban crude steel production increased by 4.4% year-on-year to 25,000 tonnes. The crude steel output by El Salvador was estimated at 10,000 tonnes in December this year, down 22.5% when compared with December 2014. Guatemala produced 40,000 tonnes in Dec ‘15, slightly lower when compared with the production during the same month a year before. The crude steel output by Trinidad & Tobago too dropped by 4.4% in December last year to 35,000 tonnes from 37,000 tonnes during same month the previous year.

The following table provides cumulative crude steel output for the entire year 2015 in comparison with those during 2014.

Note: Output in thousands of tonnes