Europe's Steel Output Reported Slight Increase in First Half of 2018

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The EU-28 countries lagged behind the world in crude steel production growth during the first half of the current year. While the world output registered year-on-year growth of 4.6%, the European production was up only by 1.6%. The monthly steel output too recorded marginal jump by 1.3% in June this year, said latest production statistics published by the World Steel Association (worldsteel).

The steel output by EU-28 countries totaled 14.393 million tonnes (Mt) in June this year as compared with the output of 14.214 Mt in the same month a year before. Meantime, the cumulative output during the first six months of the year recorded slight increase from 85.998 Mt in Jan-June ’17 to 87.337 Mt. It must be noted that the world crude steel production jumped higher by 4.6% over the previous year to total 842.360 Mt.

Germany, Italy and Spain emerged as the top three steel producing countries in the region in June ’18. The combined output by these countries accounted for just over 50% of the total regional monthly output. The German output totaled 3.770 Mt, rising notably by 4.6% over the previous year. Italy too recorded marginal jump in output from 2.103 Mt to 2.135 Mt. Spain’s steel output registered 3.4% jump over the year to total 1.295 Mt. The other key producers in the region were France (1.267 Mt), Poland (840,000 tonnes) and the UK (681,000 tonnes).

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During the first six months of the year, all countries in the region except Bulgaria and Austria recorded increased steel production. Slovenia and Greece recorded significant jump in output, registering year-on-year jump by 11.3% and 10.4% respectively. The top five producers during H1 2018 were Germany (22.220 Mt), Italy (12.369 Mt), France (7.979 Mt), Spain (7.462 Mt) and Poland (5.223 Mt).