The
US, after enjoying 7.8 percent growth in its steel demand in 2012, due to generally strong activity in steel using sectors, including the energy sector, is forecast to see a steel demand growth in 2013 of only 0.7 percent, reaching 96.9 million metric tons, as stated by Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, the chairman of the worldsteel Economics Committee, during the 47th annual meeting of the World Steel Association (worldsteel) held in Sao Paulo on October 7. Mr. Kerkhoff said that the government shutdown in the
US is not expected to affect steel demand growth in the country.
For 2014, the World Steel Association is expecting to see steel demand growth of three percent in the
US, on the back of the improving world economy and activity in the automotive, energy and residential construction sectors.
In the meantime, apparent steel demand in NAFTA region as a whole is forecast to grow by 0.2 percent and 3.2 percent in 2013 and 2014 respectively.