Steel production up 6.6% in Nov on year amid Asia, EU output rises: worldsteel

Crude steel production in the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association rose 6.6% on the year in November to 158.3 million mt, led by increases in Asia as well as hikes in Europe, Turkey and CIS countries, the association reported Dec. 22.

In Asia, total crude steel production last month increased by 8.6% year on year to 116.4 million mt, with China producing 87.7 million mt, marking a rise of 8% compared with November 2019. India produced 9.2 million mt of crude steel in November, up 3.5% on the year.

Bucking the trend, Japan produced 7.3 million mt of crude steel in November, down 5.9%, while South Korean production dropped by 2.4% to 5.8 million mt.

In the EU 28, November’s output rose by 5.5% to 12.8 million mt, with the largest EU steel producer, Germany, registering an increase in domestic production of almost 15% year on year to 3.4 million mt. Italy produced 2.0 million mt of crude steel in November, up 3.2% on November 2019. France also registered an increase of 3.7% year on year to 1.1 million mt of crude steel.

In the CIS countries, production is estimated to be 8.2 million mt in November 2020, up 7%. Ukraine produced 1.7 million mt of crude steel, up 31% on the year.

Turkey’s crude steel production for November was 3.2 million mt, up by 12% on November 2019.

In South America, Brazil produced 3.0 million mt of crude steel in November 2020, up 11% on November 2019, while in North America, the US produced 6.1 million mt of crude steel, a drop 14% on the year.

— Annalisa Villa