Data released by the International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) show that global crude steel production for March 2008 rose 5.8 percent year on year to 119.5 million metric tons.
China is again the world's largest steel producing country with crude steel production of 44.9 million metric tons in March 2008, an increase of 11.5 percent from a year earlier. Total production in the Asian region amounted to 66.9 million metric tons, up 8.8 percent on a year ago.
Germany produced 4.184 million metric tons of crude steel in March 2008, showing an increase of 0.2 percent year on year. Italy produced 2.903 million metric tons in the month in question, marking a decrease of 4.2 percent compared to March 2007. Production in the UK was 1.265 million metric tons, up 0.7 percent on year ago. Total production in the EU-27 amounted to 18.645 million metric tons, down 2.3 percent compared with March 2007.
Production in Turkey was 2.422 million metric tons, an increase of 7.5 percent compared to March 2007.
Brazil's crude steel production in March 2008 rose 6.3 percent year on year to 2.960 million metric tons.
The US produced an estimated 8.5 million metric tons in March 2008, registering a 2.1 percent increase year on year.