World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the World Steel Association was 114 million tonnes in November 2010. This is 5.1% YoY higher than November 2009. World crude steel production for the first 11 months of 2010 was 1,281 million tonnes, up by 16.2% YoY as compared to the same period in 2009.
China's crude steel production for November 2010 was 50.2 million tonnes, up by 4.8% YoY as compared to November 2009.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 9 million tonnes of crude steel in November 2010, up by 1.4% YoY against November 2009. South Korea's crude steel production for November 2010 was 5.2 million tonnes, up by 16.4% YoY.
In the EU, Germany's crude steel production for November 2010 was 3.8 million tonnes, up by 8% YoY. Italy produced 2.3 million tonnes, up by 19.3% YoY. Spain produced 1.2 million tonnes, down by 19.8% YoY.
Turkey produced 2.5 million tonnes of crude steel in November 2010, up by 15.7% YoY as compared to November 2009.
The US produced 6.5 million tonnes of crude steel in November 2010, up by 13% YoY.
Brazil produced 2.6 million tonnes of crude steel in November 2010, down by 2.8% YoY.
World crude steel production in November 2010 was 31.9% YoY higher than in November 2008 when the impact of the global economic crisis on world crude steel production became apparent. Crude steel production for the first 11 months of 2010 was 1,281 million tonnes, 4.6% higher than in 2008. However, crude steel production in the EU and North America for the first 11 months of 2010 was still -15.3% and -14.1% (respectively) less compared to the same period in 2008, while Asia's crude steel production was 16.4% higher.
The crude steel capacity utilization ratio of the 66 countries in November 2010 remained stable at 75.2% compared to 75.3% in October 2010. Compared to November 2009, the utilization ratio in November 2010 slipped by 0.8 percentage points.