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January World Crude Steel Production Down 7.8% vs. January 2011
02/22/2012 - World crude steel production for the 59 countries reporting to the World Steel Association stood at 116.7 million tonnes for January 2012, 7.8% lower in comparison with January 2011 and 0.3% lower than the previous month, December 2011.
Figures released by the World Steel Association show that world crude steel production for the 59 countries reporting stood at 116.7 million tonnes for January 2012, 7.8% lower in comparison with January 2011 and 0.3% lower than the previous month, December 2011.
China logged a 13% year-on-year decrease for January 2012, while production for the balance of the world (excluding China’s production) decreased about 3.2% vs. January 2011. Year-on-year changes (January 2012 vs. January 2011) included both increases and decreases that varied widely throughout all regions.
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World Steel Production, Jan. '12
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Region
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% of Jan. '12 Total
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Change vs. Jan. '11
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EU (27)
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11.9%
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-5.6%
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Other EU
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2.9%
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+11.3%
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CIS
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8.1%
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-1.4%
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N. America
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8.9%
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+4.7%
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S. America
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3.3%
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+1.4%
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Africa/M. East
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1.3%
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-1.4%
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Asia
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63.3%
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-11.4%
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Oceania
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0.4%
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-37.5%
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World
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--
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-7.8%
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According to the Association, crude steel capacity utilization ratio of the 59 countries in January 2012 rebounded slightly to 71.3%, 0.5 percentage points higher than the previous month (December 2011). Compared to January 2011, the utilization ratio in January 2012 decreased by 9.6 percentage points.
January Production by Region — Weighing in at 63.3% of total world production for January 2011 (vs. 63.7% the previous month), production in Asiastood at 73.82 million tonnes in January, 11.4% lower than in January 2011. China (-13.0%), Japan (-10.6%) and South Korea (-9.6%) logged the region’s largest percentage decreases vs. January 2011.
Representing 44.6% of world production for January (unchanged from 44.6% the two previous months), China’s production was reported at 52.07 million tonnes in January. China’s reported production represents a 0.2% decrease compared to the previous month, and a 13% decrease vs. January 2011.
The twenty-seven countries of the European Union (EU(27)) produced 13.92 million tonnes of crude steel in January, down 5.6% from January 2011. Comparing January 2012 to January 2011, crude steel production fell most significantly in Luxembourg (-35.6%), Belgium (-33.4%), UK (-24.4%) and Slovakia (-22.6%) while Poland (+20.0%) and Romania (+17.8%) reported the largest increases over the same period.
Altogether, the countries in the EU27 contributed 11.9% of the total reported world production in January 2012, vs. 10.7% the previous month.
Production in Other Europe totaled 3.38 million tonnes in January, an increase of 11.3% compared to January 2011. The most significant increase was recorded in Norway (+39.8%) while the largest decreases were reported by Serbia (-47.1%) and Croatia (-39.6%). Altogether, the countries in Other Europe contributed 2.9% of the total reported world production in January 2012, unchanged from the previous month.
Production in the countries of the CIStotaled 9.4 million tonnes in January, reflecting a 1.4% decrease compared to January 2011. For January 2012, the region’s largest decreases (vs. vs. January 2011) were reported by Kazakhstan (-23.4%) and Uzbekistan (-20.1%), while other countries reported only single-digit changes. Altogether, the CIS countries contributed 8.1% of the total reported world production in January 2011, vs. 8.0% the previous month.
North American production totaled 10.34 million tonnes in January, a 4.7% increase in comparison to January 2011. Comparing January 2012 to January 2011, the largest percentage increases were recorded in Guatemala (+78.6%) and El Salvador (+66.7%), while the largest decrease (-39.7%) was reported by Trinidad and Tobago. Other countries reported small (single-digit) changes. Altogether, the North American countries contributed 8.9% of the total reported world production in January 2012, vs. 8.7% in the previous month.
South American production for January 2012 totaled 3.80 million tonnes, a 1.4% increase compared to January 2011. The region’s largest percentage increases took effect in Paraguay (+300%), Ecuador (+62.5%) and Peru (+36.1%) while the largest decrease was reported by Chile (-30.5). Altogether, the South American countries contributed 3.3% of the total reported world production in January 201, up slightly vs. 3.2% the previous month.
Production in Africa/Middle East totaled 1.55 million tonnes in January 2012, a 1.4% decrease compared to January 2011. Comparing January 2012 to January 2011, South Africa reported a 5.6% increase while decreases were recorded in Egypt (-8.8%) and Saudi Arabia (-0.6%). The African/Middle Eastern countries contributed 1.3% of the total reported world production in January 2011.
Production in Oceania totaled 0.46 million tonnes in January 2011, a 37.5% decrease compared to January 2011. Altogether, the countries of Oceania contributed 0.4% of the total reported world production in January 2011, unchanged from the previous month.
Total world production for January 2011 decreased 0.3% compared to the previous month, December 2011, and decreased by 7.8% compared to January 2011.
