Data released by the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) show that global crude steel production for August 2008 rose 2.9 percent year on year to 112.2 million metric tons.
China is again the world's largest steel producing country with crude steel production of 42.568 million metric tons in August 2008, an increase of 1.3 percent from a year earlier. Total crude steel production in the Asian region amounted to 63.783 million metric tons, up 2.4 percent on a year ago.
Germany produced 3.985 million metric tons of crude steel in August 2008, showing an increase of 0.4 percent year on year. Italy produced an estimated 1.740 million metric tons in the month in question, marking an increase of 5.1 percent compared to August 2007. Production in the UK in August was 1.110 million metric tons, down 3.5 percent year on year. Total production in the EU-27 amounted to 15.774 million metric tons, 1.8 percent higher than August 2007.
Production in Turkey in August this year stood at an estimated 2.320 million metric tons, an increase of 11 percent compared to August 2007.
Brazil's crude steel production in August 2008 rose 6.9 percent year on year to 3.142 million metric tons.
The US produced 8.500 million metric tons in August, registering a two percent increase year on year.