Global crude steel output reached a record 1.55-billion tons in 2012, up 1.2% compared with 2011, on the back of growth in Asia and North America, while crude steel production in the European Union (EU) and South America decreased.
Yearly production out of Asia was about 1.01-billion tons, an increase of 2.6% compared with 2011, while the region’s share of global steel production increased slightly from 64.5% in 2011 to 65.4% in 2012.
China’s crude steel production reached 716.5-million tons – an increase of 3.1% on 2011. The Asian country’s share of global steel production increased from 45.4% in 2011 to 46.3% in 2012.
Further afield, the EU recorded a decrease in output of 4.7% compared with 2011, producing 169.4-million tons of crude steel in 2012, driven by reduced yearly production in Germany, Italy, France and Spain.
Meanwhile, crude steel production in North America was 121.9-million tons, an increase of 2.5% on 2011, with the US producing 88.6-million tons of crude steel – 2.5% more than in 2011.
Yearly crude steel output for South America was 46.9-million tons in 2012, a decrease of 3% on 2011, while Brazil produced 34.7-million tons in 2012, down 1.5% compared with 2011.
For the last month of the year, global crude steel production for the 62 countries reporting to the World Steel Association was 121.3-million tons, an increase of 2.4% compared with December 2011.