China Remains World's Top Steel Producer Despite Sharp Drop – worldsteel

Iran’s output increased the most, rising 12% from the same month the previous year.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The World Steel Association (worldsteel) has released its October 2025 steel production statistics, confirming the top steel-producing nations and outlining notable shifts in global output. Although overall production weakened compared to last year, the ranking of leading producers remained largely unchanged.

China Still Dominates, But Output Plummets

China retained its position as the world’s largest steel producer, manufacturing 72.0 million tonnes (Mt) in October. However, this figure reflects a sharp 12.1% drop from October 2024. Between January and October 2025, the country produced 817.9 Mt of crude steel, continuing to dwarf output from other nations despite the slowdown.

India and United States Follow in Second and Third

India secured the second spot with 13.6 Mt of crude steel output in October, marking a 5.9% increase year-over-year. The country generated 136.0 Mt during the first ten months of 2025, supported by continued growth in infrastructure and construction segments.

The United States ranked third, producing 7.0 Mt, a substantial 9.4% year-on-year rise driven by steady industrial demand and stronger capacity utilization.

Performance of Other Leading Producers

Japan ranked fourth with 6.9 Mt, followed by Russia with 5.3 Mt and South Korea with 5.1 Mt. Further down the list, Iran produced 3.3 Mt, Turkiye recorded 3.2 Mt, Germany generated 3.1 Mt, and Brazil manufactured 3.0 Mt.

Among these, Iran saw the strongest growth, reporting a 12% increase compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the United States also posted robust gains at 9.4%, whereas China and Russia experienced declines, falling 12.1% and 6.2%, respectively.

Worldwide Production Trend

Global crude steel production totaled 143.3 million tonnes in October, representing a 5.9% decline from the same month last year. From January to October 2025, worldwide output reached 1,517.6 Mt, according to worldsteel.

The latest figures reflect ongoing shifts in global operating conditions, with slower output from major producers and strengthening performance from emerging markets such as Iran and India.