The general secretary of the Turkish Iron and Steel Producers' Association, Veysel Yayan, has said the country's steel melting capacity may rise even faster than he predicted last week as the prospects for the economy improve.
Turkey may be able to produce 42 million mt of steel billets by 2015, up from 35.4 million mt in 2010, and the country's slab output capacity may rise to 20 million mt, from 13.4 million mt, Mr. Yayan said at a conference in New York. He estimated output figures of 35.4 million mt of bilet and 15.9 million mt of slab for 2011. Turkey's industry is continuing to diversify to meet domestic needs and the needs of importing nations, he said.
Mr. Yayan also indicated that Turkey might be a force for stability in the Middle East, as trade ties boost goodwill between Turkey and nearby nations. "Foreign policies and economic policies are very interrelated," he said, adding, "Without good relations you cannot export, especially in our region."