Raw steel production in North America rose 2.0% in 2014, totaling 121.2 million metric tons. U.S. raw steel production for the year rose 1.7% to 88.3 million metric tons, or 97.35 million short tons.
Global raw steel production totaled 1.64 billion metric tons in 2014, an increase of 1.2% over the 2013 total according to results released by the World Steel Association. The modest increase worldwide was mirrored by similar results in the major steel producing nations and regions, as China’s output increased just 0.9%, Japan’s rose 0.1%, and Germany’s improved 0.7%.
U.S. steelmakers’ output increased 1.7% over the 2013 total.
The data is collected and reported by the World Steel Assn., which tracks raw (or crude) steel tonnage and capacity utilization across 65 countries. Raw steel is the product of electric arc furnaces and basic oxygen furnaces, prior to metallurgical refining and castinginto semi-finished products, such as slabs, blooms, or billets. World Steel’s results include data for carbon and carbon alloy steel output. Stainless steels and other specialty alloy steels are not included.
The final results for 2014 included a 2.6% increase from November to December, with global tonnage rising to 133.7 million metric tons. That also represented an increase of 0.1% compared to December 2013.
More on global steel tonnage on American Machinist.
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