2011 Steel Production Reaches New High

World crude steel production reached 1.52 billion tonnes in 2011, an increase of 6.8 percent over 2010 and a record for global crude steel production.

With the exception of Japan and Spain, all of the major steel-producing countries showed growth in 2011, reports the World Steel Association.

Asia accounted for 64.7 percent of world production or 988.2 million tonnes. China produced 695.5 million tonnes — 70 percent of the Asian supply and 45.5 percent of the world’s crude steel — and an increase of 8.9 percent compared to China’s production in 2010. Japan is the world’s second largest steel producer and accounted for 7.7 percent of crude steel in 2011 with 107.6 million tonnes, a decrease of less than 2 percent compared with 2010.

Growth was particularly robust in top producers South Korea (#6) and Turkey (#10). Both countries ended the year with double digit growth. South Korea’s production surged 16.2 percent to reach 68.5 million tonnes and Turkey produced 34.1 million tonnes for an increase of 17 percent.

Third ranked U.S. produced 86.2 million tonnes of crude steel in 2011, a 7.1 percent increase compared with 2010 production.

The crude steel capacity utilization ratio of the 64 countries in December 2011 declined slightly to 71.7 percent compared to 73.8 percent in 2010.

Photo courtesy of Arcelor Mittal.