Global stainless steel production rose 6.5 percent year on year in the first half of 2006 due to an increase in all regions. Data from the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) show that world stainless steel production reached 13.9 million metric tons in the first half of 2006. Stainless steel production in the Asian region rose 8.1 percent year on year to 7.1 million metric tons during the period in question. The driving forces were China (+44%) and India (+10%). China produced 2.3 million metric tons of stainless steel in the first half of the year and is now the leading stainless steel producing country in the world. The second-largest stainless steel producing region is Western Europe/Africa, where production increased 3.5 percent year on year to 5.04 million metric tons. The Americas increased their stainless steel production 7.4 percent year on year to 1.6 million metric tons. Production in Central and Eastern Europe rose 24 percent, mainly due to the sharp increase in Russia's stainless production.
Stainless crude steel production (in ’000 metric tons) 6 months Region 2005 2006 % Change Western Europe/Africa 4,866 5,037 3.5 Central and Eastern Europe 149 184 23.6 The Americas 1,460 1,568 7.4 Asia 6,552 7,083 8.1 Total World 13,027 13,873 6.5