World steel production in January 2018 grew 0.8% higher

World steel production from 64 countries representing the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) was 139.4 million tonnes in January 2018, up 0.8% from January 2017.

Steel production in China in January 2018 amounted to 67.0 million tons, which is 0.9% less than in January 2017. In January 2018, Japan produced 9.0 million tons of steel, which is 0.3% more than in January 2017. India produced 9.0 million tonnes of steel in January 2018, up 2.5% on January 2017.

In January 2018, Russia produced 5.7 million tonnes of steel, which is 3.9% less than 5.93 million tonnes in January last year. In January, Ukraine smelted 2.1 million tons of steel, which is 0.1% lower than a year earlier.

In the EU, Italian steel production in January 2018 was 2.0 million tonnes, up 5.3% on January 2017. France produced 1.4 million tonnes in January 2018, an increase of 3.0% over January 2017. Spain produced 1.1 million tonnes in January 2018, down 1.0% from January 2017.

Steel production in Turkey in January 2018 amounted to 3.2 million tons, which is 7.6% more than in January 2017.

In January 2018, the United States produced 6.8 million tonnes of steel, down 2.2% from January 2017.

Brazilian steel production in January 2018 was 2.9 million tonnes, up 1.3% on January 2017.

The crude steel utilization rate in 64 countries was 70.0% in January 2018. This is 0.2 percentage points lower than January 2017. Compared to December 2017, this is 0.7 percentage points higher.