Global Feb crude steel output up 8.8%; dips in India

With demand on the rise, global crude steel production in February increased by 8.8% to 117 million tonne over the same month last year, World Steel Association (WSA) said today.

India's crude steel production, however, fell by 0.5% to 5.1 million tonne during the month vis-a-vis 5.125 million tonne in February 2010.

"World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association was 117 million tonne in February 2011. This is 8.8% higher than February 2010," WSA said in a statement.

World Steel Association members, including 19 of the top 20 global firms, produce around 85% of the world's steel. The association represents around 170 producers of the alloy spread across 64 countries.

The growth in production of the alloy was led by Asian makers and on the expected lines, China was far ahead not only of its Asian peers but compared with any other geographies in the world as well.

Recording a 9.7% growth, China produced 54.3 million tonne crude steel in February this year. Japan came as a distant second with 8.9 MT crude steel production during the reporting month. South Korea produced five MT crude steel registering 25.7% growth compared to February 2010.

Germany, Italy, Spain were among the main producers in the European Union with 3.7 million tonne, 2.3 million tonne and 1.4 million tonne production, respectively.

Turkey produced 2.5 million tonne registering an increase of 35.5% compared to February 2010.

Production of crude steel in the US also went up by 5.6% to 6.6 million tonne in February 2011 over the corresponding month last year. Brazil produced 2.7 million tonne during the month.

Steel makers' capacity utilisation in February 2011 was 82%, a slight increase from 80.9% recorded in January this year.

However, when compared with February 2010, utilisation in February this year was just 2.7 percentage points higher.