Global crude steel production, as reported by the 66 member countries of the World Steel Association (worldsteel), increased by only 0.8% year-on-year to 1.63-billion tonnes in 2016.
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Middle East, Asia and Oceania contributed positively to the increase in production, while Africa, Europe and the Americas produced less crude steel in 2016.
South Africa’s output decreased to 6.14-million tonnes in 2016, compared with the 6.42-million tonnes produced in 2015, while Africa’s production also fell by 4.7% year-on-year to 12.19-million tonnes.
Asia’s production increased 1.6% year-on-year to 1.13-billion tonnes, with China’s steel production up 1.2% to 808.37-million tonnes.
China’s share of world crude steel production increased from 49.4% in 2015 to 49.6% in 2016.
Japan’s crude steel production decreased 3% year-on-year to 104.77-million tonnes, while India’s crude steel production increased by 7.4% to 95.62-million tonnes.
South Korea produced 68.57-million tonnes of crude steel in 2016, a decrease of 1.6% compared with 2015.
The European Union produced 162.29-million tonnes of crude steel, a decrease of 2.3% compared to 2015.
North America’s crude steel production remained flat year-on-year at 110.99-million tonnes, with production in the US down 0.3% year-on-year to 78.62-million tonnes.
The CIS produced 8% more steel in 2016 at 102.22-million tonnes.
Worldsteel reported that the average capacity utilisation was 69.3% in 2016, compared with 69.7% in 2015.