According to the preliminary figures released by the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF), the global stainless steel crude steel output has decreased in H1 of 2008 by 1.8 percent compared to the same period of 2007. All major regions have shown lower production volumes in the first half of 2008.
In Asia, stainless steel production declined by 1.5 percent year on year to 8.3 million mt in H1 of 2008. Among stainless steel manufacturing countries, China was the only one which did not reduce its output during the period in question. Accordingly, the country increased its stainless steel output by 10 percent year on year to 3.9 million mt in the first six months of this year.
The table below shows global stainless crude steel production data for Q1 and Q2 of 2008 compared to the same periods of 2007 in ‘000 metric tons:
Region | Q1 | Q-o- Q | Q2 | Q-o- Q | ||
2007 | 2008 | 2007 | 2008 | |||
2,546 | 2,426 | -4.7 | 2,354 | 2,437 | 3.5 | |
Central and Eastern Europe | 101 | 96 | -5.4 | 101 | 98 | -3.1 |
Americas | 749 | 702 | -6.3 | 721 | 673 | -6.6 |
Asia | 4,188 | 4,139 | -1.2 | 4,286 | 4,205 | -1.9 |
World total | 7,584 | 7,363 | -2.9 | 7,462 | 7,413 | -0.6 |