Global Stainless Steel Production Rose 6.8% in First Quarter
07/15/2014 - The International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) has released figures for the first quarter of 2014 showing that stainless steel melt shop production increased by 6.8% year–on–year to 10.2 million metric tons (mmt). Production increased in all regions.
With a y–o–y growth of 3.0% Asia (without China) produced 2.2 mmt. Japan and South Korea recorded increases of 9.5% and 3.5% respectively. India and Taiwan, China were negative with –2.6% and –3.6% respectively. Stainless steel production in China increased by 11.1% to 5.1 mmt y–o–y. China produces about half of the world’s stainless steel.
Production in Western Europe and Africa increased by 0.2% to 2.2 mmt. France increased by 10.1%, but Germany declined by 18.9%, Italy by 2.4% and Austria by 2.0%.
Production increased by 11.9% to 0.7 mmt in the Americas and by 5.5% to 0.1 mmt in Central and Eastern Europe.
Table 1: Stainless and heat-resisting melt shop steel production [000 metric tons]
r=revised
Production in Western Europe and Africa increased by 0.2% to 2.2 mmt. France increased by 10.1%, but Germany declined by 18.9%, Italy by 2.4% and Austria by 2.0%.
Production increased by 11.9% to 0.7 mmt in the Americas and by 5.5% to 0.1 mmt in Central and Eastern Europe.
Table 1: Stainless and heat-resisting melt shop steel production [000 metric tons]
| Region | Quarter | +/- % | |||
| 1/2013 | 4/2013 | 1/2014 | q-o-q | y-o-y | |
| Western Europe/Africa | 2,157 | 1,813 | 2,160 | 19.2% | 0.2% |
| Central/Eastern Europe | 67r | 80r | 71 | -11.5% | 5.5% |
| The Americas | 598 | 630 | 670 | 6.2% | 11.9% |
| Asia (w/o China) | 2,170 | 2,301 | 2,234 | -2.9% | 3.0% |
| China | 4,575 | 4,809 | 5,084 | 5.7% | 11.1% |
| Total | 9,568r | 9,633r | 10,219 | 6.1% | 6.8% |
