Global steel production increased slightly in January to 162.9 million metric tons, just 1.27% more than the tonnage reported for December 2020, and 4.8% more than the January 2020 total. The January data supplied by the World Steel Assn. showed a small decrease from December output in China, but better month-to-month results in the other large steelmaking nations.
Regional results for January showed strong year-over-year returns in the Asian (+9.2%) and South American (+11.4) regions, but a weaker result (-7.0%) for the North American region. The European Union (27 nations) produced a total of 12.2 million metric tons during January, effectively even (-0.4%) with the January 2020 output.
China stands well ahead of the rest world in steel production, with an estimated 64.0% of global steel production during January 2021. Chinese steelmakers’ January output is estimated at 90.2 million metric tons, -1.15% less than World Steel’s total reported for December output, but 6.8% more than the January 2020 total.
Steelmakers in India produced a reported 10.0 million metric tons during January, 2.08% more than the tonnage reported by World Steel for December, and 7.6% more than the January 2020 total.
In Japan, raw-steel production totaled 7.9 million metric tons during January, 4.96% higher than the December volume but -3.9% lower than January 2020 output.
U.S. raw steel production during January totaled 6,900 metric tons (7,605.9 short tons), +7.24% higher than World Steel’s reported total for December 2020, but -9.9% lower than U.S. January 2020 tonnage.
The World Steel Assn. data covers "raw” carbon steel from 64 nations, the product of basic-oxygen or electric arc furnaces and cast into semi-finished forms like billets for bar and rod products; slabs for flat products; or blooms, for beam and pipe products. Specialty and stainless steel are accounted separately.
