According to recent data released by the World Steel Association (WSA), world crude steel production declined overall by 8% in 2009, with a production total of 1,220m. tonnes.
However, while key steel producing regions of the European Union, North America, South America and the CIS posted dramatic falls in output, Asia, and especially China and India, plus the Middle East, exhibited positive growth, mainly from H2 2009.
For the refractories market, where steel accounts for a 70% market share, the trend of early recovery in Asia and the Middle East will be most welcome.
China’s surge
China’s crude steel production in 2009 reached 567.8m., an increase of 13.5% on 2008. Incredibly, given the economic climate, the WSA states this as a record annual crude steel production figure for a single country....