World crude steel production for the 67 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 136.5 million tonnes (Mt) in January 2017, a 7.0% increase compared to January 2016.
China’s crude steel production for January 2017 was 67.2 Mt, up 7.4% compared to January 2016, according to figures released by the World Steel Association (worldsteel).
The apparently high percentage figure, claims worldsteel, is explained by the fact that January 2016 saw a marked dip in Chinese steel production. Japan produced 9 Mt of crude steel in January 2017, an increase of 2.7% when compared with January 2016.
German crude steel production was up 1.2% to 3.6 Mt, while Italy produced 1.8 Mt of crude steel, up by 0.3% when compared with January 2016. In Spain 1.2 Mt of crude steel was produced, down 4.2% when compared with January 2016.
Turkish crude steel production last month was up by 12.8% at 2.9Mt.
Russian crude steel production in January reached 6.2 Mt, an 11.6% increase over January 2016, while in the Ukraine 2.1 Mt of crude steel was produced, up 8.5% compared to January 2016.
The USA produced 6.9 Mt of crude steel last month, an increase of 6.5% compared to January 2016.
Crude steel production for January 2017 in Brazil was 2.9 Mt, up 14.4% on last year.
Last month's crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 67 countries reporting to worldsteel was 68.5%. This is 3.4 percentage points higher than in January 2016. Compared to December 2016, it is 0.9 percentage points higher.