World crude steel output in May increased marginally by 2 % to 143 million tonnes over the same month last year.
“World crude steel production... was 143.3 million tonnes (mt) in May 2017, a 2 % increase compared to May 2016,” said the World Steel Association (worldsteel).
China’s crude steel output was 72.3 mt, an increase of 1.8 % year on year, it said. Japan produced 9 mt crude steel, up 0.1 %.
In the EU bloc, Germany produced 3.8 mt of crude steel, registering a decline of 1.4 % from a year earlier.
“The US produced 7 mt of crude steel in May... an increase of 0. 2 % compared to May 2016. Brazil’s crude steel production... was 2.9 mt, growing by 13.2 %,” the association said.
The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of 67 countries in May stood at 71.8 %, 0.5 percentage points higher than a year ago. Compared to April, it is 1. 8 percentage points down.
The World Steel Association is one of the largest industry bodies in the world. Its members represent approximately 85 % of the world’s steel production, including over 160 steel producers.
