January 25, 2012: World crude steel production reached 1.52 billion tons for the year of 2011, an increase of 6.8% compared to 2010 and is a record for global crude steel production.
All the major steel-producing countries apart from Japan and Spain showed growth in 2011. Growth was particularly robust in Turkey, South Korea and Italy.

China's crude steel production in 2011 reached 695.5 million tons (mt), an increase of 8.9% on 2010. China's share of world crude steel production increased from 44.7% in 2010 to 45.5% in 2011. Japan produced 107.6 Mt in 2011, a -1.8% decrease from 2010. The EU recorded an increase of 2.8% compared to 2010, producing 177.4 mt of crude steel in 2011. In 2011, crude steel production in North America was 118.9 mt, an increase of 6.8% on 2010. The US produced 86.2 mt of crude steel, 7.1% higher than 2010. The CIS showed an increase of 4.0% in 2011, producing 112.6 mt of crude steel.

In December 2011, world crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 117.1 mt, an increase of 1.7% compared to December 2010. The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 64 countries in December 2011 declined slightly to 71.7% compared to 73.3% in November 2011. Compared to December 2010, the utilisation ratio in December 2011 is -2.1 percentage points lower.

Source: ISMW