World crude steel production rose 15% in 2010 with some of the greatest increases coming in Europe and the United States as developed steel-producing nations rebounded from a weak 2009, according to the World Steel Association.
The 1,414 million metric tons recorded in 2010 was an increase set a new record for global crude steel production, the association reports. All the major steel-producing countries and regions showed double-digit growth in 2010.
World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the World Steel Association was 116.2 million metric tons, an increase of 7.8% over December 2009. Worldwide capacity utilization ratio was 1.1 percentage point higher 2010.
In 2010, U.S. crude steel production rose 38.5% to 80.6 million metric tons in 2010. In North America crude steel production increased 35.7% in 2009 to 111.8 million metric tons.
Annual production for Asia rose 11.8%, and its share world steel production increased to 65.5% in 2010 from 63.5% in 2009.
China's crude steel production increased 9.3% in 2010. The country's share of world crude steel production declined to 44.3% in 2010 from 46.7% in 2009.
The EU recorded 24.5% increase in 2010, producing 172.9 million metric tons of crude steel in 2010. However, crude steel production in the United Kingdom and Greece continued to decline in 2010.
