January 2013 crude steel close to January 2012

China’s crude steel production for the month was 59.3Mt, up 4.6% compared to January 2012. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 8.9Mt, an increase of 2.7% and South Korea produced 5.8Mt, down -0.4% compared with January 2012. India produced an estimated 6.6Mt up 3.8% on January 2012.

In the EU, Germany produced 3.6Mt of crude steel in January 2013, an increase of 5.4% on January 2012. Italy’s crude steel production was 1.8Mt, down -19.7% and France produced 1.4Mt, down -1.3%. Spain produced 1.1Mt -2.5% lower than January 2012. Production in the UK increased 23.5% on January 2012 to 0.828Mt. In addition to Germany and UK, the only other European countries to show increases in output over January 2012 were Slovakia up 17.8% to 0.388Mt and Austria up 7.4% to 0.672Mt. Overall. European crude steel production fell –5.0% to 13.452Mt in January.

Turkey’s crude steel production for January 2013 was 2.9Mt, a decrease of -8.8% compared to January 2012.

Russian production also fell by –5.7% to 5.7Mt of crude steel in January. Ukraine’s output was 2.7Mt, -4.4% less than January 2012.

The US produced 7.3Mt (metric) of crude steel in January 2013, down -5.8% on January 2012. In South America (which excludes Mexico) output was down –3.2% at 3.611Mt. Output from the largest producer, Brazil is estimated to be down –6.1% at 2.62Mt.

The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio for the 62 countries in January 2013 declined to 71.2% from 73.2% in December 2012. Compared to January 2012, it is 5.5% points lower.

As an approximation, finished steel production is about 15% lower than crude steel production.