UNITED STATES December 26 2016 3:39 PM

NEW YORK (Scrap Register): Global stainless and heat-resisting melt shop steel production gained 7 percent year-on-year to 33.6 million metric tons during the first nine months of this year, as per the latest figures released by the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF).

Stainless and heat-resisting melt shop steel production increased in all regions except Central and Eastern Europe.

However, output in the third quarter of 11.488 million tons was 2.9% below the 11.827 million tons of this year's second quarter. 

This year's January-September growth spurt was driven by an 11.4% hike in Chinese production to 18.083 million tons from 16.238 million tons in the same period last year, although the country's third quarter total of 6.319 million tons was 3.5% lower than that for the preceding three months. 

Across the first nine months of this year, the rest of Asia boosted its output by 4.2% to 7.372 million tons. The production gain in the Americas was limited to 1.5% for a total of 2.178 million tons while the Western Europe/Africa total edged 0.4% higher to 5.762 million tons. 

Central and Eastern Europe was the only region to show a year-on-year decline in stainless and heat-resisting melt shop steel production (-4.6% to 189 000 tons), the ISSF points out.