April World Crude Steel Production up 1.2% vs. April 2011
05/22/2012 - World crude steel production for the 62 countries reporting to the World Steel Association stood at 128.38 million tonnes for April 2012, 1.2% higher in comparison with April 2011 and 2.9% lower than the previous month, March 2012.
Figures released by the World Steel Association show that world crude steel production for the 62 countries reporting to worldsteel grew to 128.4 million tonnes in April 2012, an increase of 1.2%compared to April 2011.
China logged a crude steel production total of 60.58 million tonnes, representing a 2.6% increase compared to the previous April. Production for the balance of the world (excluding China’s production) stayed flat over the same period.
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World Steel Production, April '12
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Region
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% of April '12 Total
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Change vs. April '11
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EU (27)
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11.6%
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-5.2%
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Other EU
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2.4%
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+2.4%
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CIS
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7.0%
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-4.7%
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N. America
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8.1%
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+5.4%
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S. America
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3.2%
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-1.1%
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Africa/M. East
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2.2%
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-2.7%
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Asia
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65.0%
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+3.0%
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Oceania
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0.4%
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-22.5%
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World
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--
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+1.2%
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According to the Association,the world crude steel capacity utilization ratio for the 62 countries, at 81.1%, remained nearly unchanged in April 2012 compared to the previous month (March 2012). Compared to April 2011, the utilization ratio was 1.7 percentage points lower.
April Production by Region — Weighing in at 65.0% of total world production for April 2012, production in Asia stood at 83.46 million tonnes in April, 3.0% higher than in April 2011. Japan (+7.6%) and India (+3.5%) logged the region’s largest percentage decreases vs. April 2011, while Taiwan logged a 3.1% loss over the same period.
Representing 47.2% of world production for April (vs. 46.6% the previous month), China’s production was reported at 60.58 million tonnes in April. China’s reported production represents a 1.6% decrease compared to the previous month, and a 2.6% increase vs. April 2011.
The twenty-seven countries of the European Union (EU(27)) produced 14.88 million tonnes of crude steel in April, down 5.2% from April 2011. Comparing April 2012 to April 2011, crude steel production fell most significantly in Luxembourg (-22.9%), Bulgaria (-20.4%) and Belgium (-19.3%), while Other E.U. (27) (+19.6%) and Slovakia (+16.2%) reported the largest increases over the same period. Altogether, the countries in the EU27 contributed 11.6% of the total reported world production in April 2012.
For the year-to-date, the European Union reported a 4.2% decrease in production vs. the comparable year-ago period.
Production in Other Europe totaled 3.11 million tonnes in April, an increase of 2.4% compared to April 2011. The most significant increase was recorded in Norway (+72.4%) while the largest decreases were reported by Serbia (-60.0%) and Croatia (-100.0%). Altogether, the countries in Other Europe contributed 2.4% of the total reported world production in April 2012, down slightly from (2.5%) the previous month.
For the year-to-date, Other Europe reported a 7.1% increase in production vs. the comparable year-ago period.
Production in the countries of the CIS totaled 9.00 million tonnes in April, reflecting a 4.7% decrease compared to April 2011. For April 2012, the region’s largest decreases (vs. April 2011) were reported by Kazakhstan (-22.3%) and Ukraine (-17.7%), while other countries reported only single-digit changes. Altogether, the CIS countries contributed 7.0% of the total reported world production in April 2011 (down from 7.3% the previous month).
For the year-to-date, CIS reported a 2.5% decrease in production vs. the comparable year-ago period.
North American production totaled 10.43 million tonnes in April, a 5.4% increase in comparison to April 2011. Comparing April 2012 to April 2011, the largest percentage increases were recorded in Guatemala (+56.3%) and El Salvador (+25.0%), while the largest decreases (-51.6% and -25.9%) were reported by Trinidad and Tobago andCuba, respectively. Other countries reported small (single-digit) changes. Altogether, the North American countries contributed 8.1% of the total reported world production in April 2012, up slightly from 8.0% the previous month.
For the year-to-date, North America reported a 7.0% increase in production vs. the comparable year-ago period.
South American production for April 2012 totaled 4.13 million tonnes, a 1.1% decrease compared to April 2011. The region’s largest percentage increases took effect in Paraguay (+150%), Uruguay (+66.7%) and Peru (+48.4%) while the largest decrease was reported by Chile (-24.7). Altogether, the South American countries contributed 3.2% of the total reported world production in April 2012, unchanged from the previous month.
For the year-to-date, South America reported a 1.0% increase in production vs. the comparable year-ago period.
Production in Africa/Middle East totaled 2.82 million tonnes in April 2012, a 2.7% decrease compared to April 2011. Comparing April 2012 to April 2011, Algeria (+1127%) reported the largest increase, while the largest decrease was recorded in South Africa (-24.4%). The African/Middle Eastern countries contributed 2.2% of the total reported world production in April 2012, unchanged from the previous month.
For the year-to-date, Africa/Middle East reported a 0.4% decrease in productions vs. the comparable year-ago period.
Production in Oceania totaled 0.55 million tonnes in April 2012, a 22.5% decrease compared to April 2011. Altogether, the countries of Oceania contributed 0.4% of the total reported world production in April 2011, unchanged from the previous month.
For the year-to-date, Oceania reported a 23.9% decrease in production vs. the comparable year-ago period.
Total world production for April 2012 decreased 2.9% compared to the previous month, March 2012, and increased by 1.2% compared to April 2011.
