World crude steel production rose 5.3% to 119 million metric tons in January compared with the year-earlier month, the World Steel Association said Feb. 21.
In January the world crude steel capacity utilization ratio rose 2.3 percentage points to 75.6% from December 2010. The utilization ratio was 0.4 percentage points lower than the year-earlier month.
The United States produced 6.8 million metric tons of crude steel in January 2011, an increase of 9.4%.
In Asia, China's crude steel production was 52.8 million metric tons, up 0.5%. Japan produced 9.7 million metric tons of crude steel in January, an increase of 10.7%. South Korea's production rose 24.2% to 6 million metric tons.
In Europe, Germany's crude steel production for January 2011 was 3.7 million metric tons, an increase of 4.4%. Italy's crude steel production rose 10.3% to 2.1 million metric tons. Spain produced 1.4 million metric tons of crude steel in January, up 4.1%.
Brazilian crude steel production was 2.8 million metric tons, 3.8% higher.