Jan. 23, 2007 — Figures released by the International Iron and Steel Institute show that world crude steel production reached 1,239.6 million tonnes in 2006, an 8.8% increase in production compared to the new benchmark set in 2005. China accounted for most of the increase, with crude steel production in rising by 18.5% to 418.8 million tonnes. Excluding China, the balance of world steel production grew by only 4.2% in 2006 compared to 2005.

The following countries produced the greatest quantities of crude steel in 2006. The number in parenthesis reflects that country’s percentage change in production tonnage compared to 2005:

• China, 418.8 million tonnes (+18.5%)
• Japan, 116.2 million tonnes (3.3%)
• United States, 98.5 million tonnes +3.8%)
• Russia, 70.6 million tonnes (+6.7%)
• South Korea, 48.5 million tonnes (+1.3%)
• Germany, 47.2 million tonnes (+6.1%)
• India, 44.0 million tonnes (+7.6%)
• Ukraine, 40.8 million tonnes (+5.7%)
• Italy, 31.6 million tonnes (+7.8%)
• Brazil, 30.9 million tonnes (–2.2%)

China’s share of the world total rose from 26.3% in 2004 to 31.0% in 2005 then 33.8% in 2006. China became the largest steel producing nation in the world rather recently, in 1996, when it controlled 13.5% of total world steel production.

Regional Growth — Production increases varied widely across the region in 2006. Crude steel prodution in the Asian region reached 665.7 million tonnes in 2006, an increase of 12.6% compared to 2005. In Japan, crude steel production of 116.2 million tonnes in 2006 reflected a 3.3% from the previous year’s level. Total production for the region, which also includes 2006 No. 7 producer India, represented about 53.7% of total crude steel production for 2006.

Europe was the second-largest steel-producing region in 2006, contributing 198.4 million tonnes (16.0% of the 2006 total) from the European Union (25), reflecting a 5.9% increase in production compared to 2005. Production in the CIS also increased to 131.5 million tonnes, representing 5.8% of total crude steel production for 2006.

An increasingly consolidated North American steel industry produced 131.5 million tonnes or 10.6% of total crude steel production for 2006. The United States, which was the No. 3 steel producing country for 2006, produced 98.5 million tonnes in 2006, a 3.8% increase over 2005.

In South America, total output for the year was virtually unchanged from 2005 at 45.3 million tonnes, representing 3.7% of total crude steel production for 2006.

Production in the African region grew 3.3% compared to 2005, reaching 18.5 million tonnes in 2006, or 1.5% of total crude steel production for 2006.

Growth in steel production was 0.8% for the Middle East, where production reached 15.4 million tonnes, or 1.2% of total crude steel production for 2006.

Crude steel production grew to 8.7 million tonnes in 2006 for Oceania, reflecting a 1.1% increase compared to 2005. The region accounted for 0.7% of total crude steel production for 2006.