Global crude steel output rises 3.4% in 2019, driven by China and India

Global crude steel production in 2019 increased by 3.4% year on year to 1.87 billion metric tons, according to data released Monday by the worldsteel association.

Crude steel production contracted in all regions in 2019 except in Asia and the Middle East. Steel-producing countries generally saw a contraction in their output against a backdrop of a slowing global economy in general.

Asia produced 1.34 billion mt of crude steel in 2019, an increase of 5.7% compared to 2018. China’s crude steel production in 2019 reached 996.3 million mt, up by 8.3% on 2018. China now accounts for 53.3% of global crude steel production, its largest share ever.

India’s crude steel production for 2019 was 111.2 million mt, up by 1.8% on 2018.

Japan produced 99.3 million mt in 2019, down 4.8% compared to 2018. South Korea produced 71.4 million mt of crude steel in 2019, a decrease of 1.4% compared to 2018.

The EU produced 159.4 million mt, a decrease of 4.9% compared to 2018. Europe’s largest steel producer, Germany, made 39.7 million mt of crude steel in 2019, a decrease of 6.5%. The second largest steel producer, Italy, produced 23.2 million mt in 2019, down by 5.2% on 2018. France produced 14.5 mt, off 6.1% and Spain produced 13.6 million mt of crude steel in 2019, a decrease of 5.2%.

Turkey’s crude steel production for 2019 was 33.7 million mt, down by 9.6% on 2018.

Crude steel production in North America was 120.0 million mt in 2019, 0.8% lower than in 2018. The US produced 87.9 million mt, up by 1.5% on 2018. Annual crude steel production for South America was 41.2 million mt in 2019, a decrease of 8.4% on 2018. Brazil produced 32.2 million mt in 2019, down by 9.0% compared to 2018

The CIS produced 100.4 million mt, a decrease of 0.5%. Russia produced 71.6 million mt, down by 0.7%. Ukraine produced 20.8 million mt of crude steel, a decrease of 1.2% compared to 2018.

The Middle East produced 45.3 million mt of crude steel in 2019, an increase of 19.2% on 2018. Africa produced 17.0 million mt in 2019, down 2.3% on 2018. Oceania produced 6.1 million mt, down 2.9% on 2018.

— Annalisa Villa