In the fourth quarter last year, world stainless crude steel output decreased by 9.2 percent quarter on quarter to 12.42 million mt, while increasing by 1.4 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year, according to the preliminary report released by the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF). Meanwhile, in 2019 world stainless crude steel output rose by 2.9 percent year on year, amounting to 52.22 million mt.
According to the ISSF data, in 2019 stainless crude steel production increased by 10.1 percent in China, while decreasing by 3.7 percent in the Asia region excluding China and South Korea, and moving down by 7.6 percent in the US and by 7.9 percent in Europe, all compared to 2018.
Stainless crude steel production (x 1,000 metric tons):
|
Region |
Quarter
|
Total |
||||
|
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
2019 |
y-o-y |
|
|
1,899 |
1,842 |
1,492 |
1,572 |
6,805 |
-7.9 |
|
|
USA |
704 |
647 |
669 |
574 |
2,593 |
-7.6 |
|
China |
6,684 |
7,670 |
8,135 |
6,910 |
29,400 |
10.1 |
|
Asia (excluding China and South Korea) |
1,961 |
1,938 |
1,973 |
2,023 |
7,894 |
-3.7 |
|
Others |
1,464 |
1,306 |
1,416 |
1,339 |
5,525 |
-2.0 |
|
TOTAL |
12,711 |
13,404 |
13,684 |
12,418 |
52,218 |
2.9 |