Apr 21 2009
World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 92 million metric tons (mmt) in March. This is 23.5% lower than March 2008.
World steel production in the first quarter of 2009 was 264 mmt, a decrease of -22.8% compared to the first quarter of 2008.
In the first three months of 2009 Asia produced 173 mmt of crude steel, a decrease of -8.9% over the first quarter of 2008. The EU produced 30 mmt of steel in the first quarter of 2009, down by -43.8% compared to the same quarter of 2008. North America showed a -52.1% decline, producing 16.6 mmt during the first three months of 2009.
China showed a slight increase of 1.4% while all the other major steel producing countries showed a decrease in the first quarter of 2009.
China's crude steel production production for March 2009 was 45.1 mmt, -0.3% lower than March 2008. Japan produced 5.7 mmt of crude steel in March 2009, down by -46.7% compared to the same month last year. South Korea showed a decrease of -21.2% from March 2008, producing 3.7 mmt of crude steel in March 2009.
In the EU, Germany's crude steel was 2.1 mmt in March 2009, a decrease of -49.8% from March 2008. Italy's crude steel production was 1.7 mmt, down -42.7% compared to the same month last year. France showed a decrease of -36.7% from March 2008, producing 1.1 mmt in March 2009. Spain's crude steel production for March 2009 was 1.1 mmt, - 41.2% less than the same month last year.
The US produced 4.1 mmt of crude steel in March 2009, a decrease of -52.7% compared to the same month last year. Brazilian production was 1.7 mmt, -41.5% less than in March 2008.
Russia showed a -30.9% decrease from March 2008, producing 4.6 mmt of crude steel in March 2009. Ukraine produced 2.4 mmt of crude steel in March, a 38.5% decrease on the same month 2008.
Turkey produced 1.8 mmt of crude steel in March 2009, a -24.5% down on 2008.