Despite the recession, world steel production has increased again. According to the World Steel Association (WSA), global steel production in October 2011 was just under 124,0 million tonnes at 0.9% more than in the previous month, so which lasted four months, the reduction in output in the global steel industry has been replaced by growth. However, due to the greater number of days in October than in September, average daily production actually decreased from 4.1 to 4.0 thousand tonnes As reported by WSA, the level of capacity utilization in the sector made in October of 76.5: this is the lowest figure for the current year.
However, it should be noted that despite the drop in prices for steel products and numerous reports about the scrapping of excess capacity in fact, the volume of production in October declined only slightly. Of the largest manufacturers of China and Taiwan have reduced the output of steel compared with the previous month. Obviously, the main consequences of the recent decisions about stop of blast furnaces and rolling mills will appear only in November-December.
In just the first ten months of 2011, in 64 countries, which submit their data in the WSA, produced 1259,1 million tons of steel, which is 8.1% or 94,6 million tonnes higher than in the same period a year ago. As before, most of the increase (76,3 million tons) accounted for four countries – China, India, Korea and Turkey. This Quartet has increased steel smelting by 11.3% in comparison with January-October last year, while the rest of the world increased its production of only 3.6%.
China for the first ten months of 2011, issued 582,3 million tons of steel, which is 10.9% more than in the same period a year ago. Recently, however, due to the downturn in the domestic market and reduction of volumes of export of Chinese steelmakers are forced to slow down. According to the national steel Association CISA, over the first decade of November, the daily average steel production in the country amounted to only 1,664 million tonnes, up 16.9% less than the record of the beginning of June. Obviously, this year, Chinese steel industry will not be able to take the milestone of 700 million tonnes.
In India, the growth for the first ten months was 8.9% compared to the previous year, but average monthly production exceeded 6 million tons So India finally came in fourth place in the world ranking steel producer, edging out Russia from 5.75 million tonnes in fifth place. Thus, unlike most other countries, in India, steelmakers continue to develop projects aimed at capacity expansion. In particular, in December this year during the visit of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to new Delhi and NCR has to be signed the agreement between Severstal and Indian NMDC company about joint construction in Karnataka steel plant of 3 million tonnes per year.
Earlier, the Indian government planned the bringing of steelmaking capacity in the country to 120 million tons per year by 2012. Of course, these plans are not met, but now the national Ministry of metallurgical industry put the industry less ambitious but more realistic goal: 113 million tons per year by the end of March 2017.
Among the major steel producers continue to lead the growth rate of melting of Korea and Turkey, developing indicators, respectively, 20.0 and 19.1 per cent in comparison with January-October 2010. However, in both countries, metallurgists have some problems associated with the overflow of national markets and the deterioration in the external economic environment. Korean Posco has announced that it would reduce steel output in the coming months.
In the EU for ten months of 2011 it produced 3.6% more steel than during the same period a year ago. In this case, the main increase occurred in Italy and Germany. Currently, Germany has strengthened its position of economic (and political) leader of the EU, but in Italy, the economic problems are growing. However, the decline in steel production is expected in the near future across the EU.
At the same time, American companies don't reduce the issue. In January-October in the US was smelted 6.8% began more than a year ago. A reduction in output of long products was offset by the commissioning of three production lines in integrated mills. Yes, and the US economy is now in by far better shape than European.
Nevertheless, it is obvious that in November-December we should expect a reduction in steel production in the world. Due to the recession the demand for steel products decreased, so that metallurgists it is necessary to bring the volume of the issue in accordance with the real needs.
Rusmet.ru