Feb. 6, 2013
World Steel Output Sets New Record
World crude steel production reached 1.548 billion metric tons for the year 2012, up 1.2 percent compared to 2011, setting a new record for global crude steel production, reports the Brussels-based World Steel Association. The growth came mainly from Asia and North America, while crude steel production in the EU and South America decreased in 2012.
Crude steel production in North America last year totaled 121.9 million tons, an increase of 2.5 percent. The U.S. produced 88.6 million tons, 2.5 percent more than in 2011.
Annual production for Asia totaled over 1.01 billion tons last year, an increase of 2.6 percent compared to the previous year. The region’s share of world steel production increased slightly to 65.4 percent. China's crude steel production accounted for 716.5 million tons of Asia’s total, an increase of 3.1 percent. China's share of world crude steel production increased to 46.3 percent in 2012.
The EU recorded a decrease of 4.7 percent last year, producing 169.4 million tons of crude steel. Annual crude steel production for South America totaled 46.9 million tons, a decrease of 3.0 percent on 2011.
The crude steel capacity utilization ratio of the 62 countries declined to 73.2 percent in December, compared to 76.1 percent in November. The average capacity utilization ratio for 2012 was 78.8 percent, down from 80.7 percent in 2011, WSA reports.