Worldsteel reports June global crude steel output down 0.1% year-on-year

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Total crude steel production from the 62 countries that report to the organisation came to 127.9 million tonnes, down by only 0.1% from 128 million tonnes in the same month in 2011, it said.

China’s total output for June went up to 60.2 million tonnes. This was a 0.6% increase from the 59.8 million tonnes produced in June 2011.

South Korea reported the highest increase in Asia, however, with production leaping ahead by 4.3% to 5.9 million tonnes, from 5.65 million tonnes.

Japan showed a 3.5% increase to 9.2 million tonnes, from 8.9 million tonnes.

The European Union countries (EU27) produced a total 14.7 million tonnes of crude steel in June, down by 5.4% from 15.6 million tonnes last year.

“Italy’s crude steel production for June 2012 was 2.4 million tonnes, down by 7.9% on June 2011. In June 2012, France produced 1.3 million tonnes of crude steel, down by 2.1% compared with June 2011. Spain’s crude steel production for June 2012 was 1.3 million tonnes, 8.8% lower than June 2011,” worldsteel said.

Greece saw one of the largest declines in the EU27, with production falling by 33.5% to an estimated 133,000 tonnes, from 200,000 tonnes.

European producers outside the EU saw their total crude steel production rise by 3.1% to 3.15 million tonnes, from 3.06 million tonnes.

Turkey’s output rose by 4% from 2.82 million tonnes to 2.94 million tonnes.

The USA produced 7.3 million tonnes of crude steel, a 0.8% increase from 7.25 million tonnes last June.

But Brazil’s crude production fell by 8.5% to 2.75 million tonnes, from 3 million tonnes.

Capacity utilisation for the 62 member states was 80.4% in June, up from 77.9% in the same month of 2011.