Global crude steel output decreases by 0.9% in 2020

Global crude steel production reached 1,864.0 million tonnes (Mt) for the year 2020, down by 0.9% compared to 2019.

Asia produced 1,374.9 Mt of of crude steel in 2020, an increase of 1.5% compared to 2019. China’s crude steel production in 2020 reached 1,053.0 Mt, up by 5.2% on 2019. China’s share of global crude steel production increased from 53.3% in 2019 to 56.5% in 2020. India’s crude steel production for 2020 was 99.6 Mt, down by 10.6% on 2019. Japan produced 83.2 Mt in 2020, down 16.2% on 2019. South Korea produced 67.1 Mt, down 6.0% on 2019.

The EU produced 138.8 Mt of crude steel in 2020, a decrease of 11.8% compared to 2019. Germany produced 35.7 Mt of crude steel in 2020, down 10.0% on 2019.

In the CIS, production was 102.0 Mt in 2020, up by 1.5% on 2019. Russia is estimated to have produced 73.4 Mt in 2020, up 2.6% on 2019. Ukraine produced 20.6 Mt in 2020, down 1.1% on 2019.

Crude steel production in North America was 101.1 Mt in 2020, down 15.5% on 2019. The United States produced 72.7 Mt in 2020, down 17.2% on 2019.

The Middle East produced 45.4 Mt of crude steel in 2020, an increase of 2.5% on 2019. Iran is estimated to have produced 29.0 Mt in 2020, up 13.4% on 2019.

Annual crude steel production for South America was 38.2 Mt in 2020, a decrease of 8.4% on 2019. Brazil produced 31.0 Mt in 2020, down by 4.9% compared to 2019.

Turkey’s crude steel production for 2020 was 35.8 Mt, up by 6.0% on 2019.

Africa produced 17.2 Mt of crude steel in 2020, the same as the 2019 production figure.

Oceania produced 6.1 Mt of crude steel in 2020, down 1.4% on 2019.

  • The World Steel Association (worldsteel) is one of the largest and most dynamic industry associations in the world, with members in every major steel-producing country. worldsteel represents steel producers, national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes. Members represent around 85% of global steel production.
  • The 2020 figures in this press release are preliminary and are subject to change.
  • For antitrust reasons worldsteel no longer produces a monthly global capacity utilisation ratio. Information on capacity can be found on the OECD website.
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