Stainless steel output forecast by ISSF
The International
Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) has released a new forecast for global
stainless crude steel
production in 2005 and 2006.
The forecast indicates that global
stainless crude steel
production will rise 1.8 percent year on year to 25 million metric tons in 2005. The growth rate in 2004 was 7.4 percent.
The ISSF attributes the slowdown in the growth of the
production to high
stainless prices, which led producers and distributors to reduce their stocks of
stainless steel products in 2005.
Forecast of 2005 stainless steel production (in ’000 metric tons)
Region 2003 2004 +/-% 2005(e) +/-%
Western
Europe/
Africa 9'043 9'422 4.2 9'000 -4.5
Central/Eastern
Europe 341 312 -8.5 240 -23.1
The Americas 2'830 2'933 3.6 2'860 -2.5
Asia 10'645 11'897 11.8 12'900 8.4
Total World 22'861 24'564 7.4 25'000 1.8
According to the forecast, only Asia, driven by
China, will show growth in
stainless steel
production in 2005. It is expected that Asia will account for more than half of the
stainless steel
production of the world in 2005.
For 2006, the ISSF expects
stainless crude steel
production to increase 5.9 percent year on year to 26.5 million metric tons.
Forecast of 2006 stainless steel production (in ’000 metric ton)
Region 2004 2005 +/-% 2006(e) +/-%
Western
Europe/
Africa 9'422 9'000 -4.5 9'500 5.6
Central/Eastern
Europe 312 240 -23.1 280 16.7
The Americas 2'933 2'860 -2.5 2'950 3.1
Asia 11'897 12'900 8.4 13'750 6.6
Total World 24'564 25'000 1.8 26'480 5.9