Global stainless steel melt shop production increased 6.8% year-on-year to 10.2-million tons during the first quarter of 2014, the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) said this week.
Production increased in all regions, with China and the Americas showing the largest year-on-year increases at 11.1% and 11.9% respectively.
China, which provides about one-half of the world’s stainless steel, produced 5.1-million tons during the quarter, while the Americas produced 670 000 t.
Production in Western Europe and Africa increased by 0.2% year-on-year and 19.2% quarter-on-quarter during the three-month period to 2.2-million tons, the ISSF said.
Individually, France’s production increased by 10.1%, but production fell by 18.9% in Germany, 2.4% in Italy and 2% in Austria.
Meanwhile, production from Central and Eastern Europe increased by 5.5% to 71 000 t, while Asia – excluding China – increased its production by 3% year-on-year to 2.2-million tons.
Japan and South Korea recorded increases of 9.5% and 3.5% respectively, while India and Taiwan recorded contractions in production of 2.6% and 3.6% respectively.