Source: Recycling Today

According to the World Steel Association, world crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the association was 109 million metric tons in January. This is 25.5 percent increase from last January.

For January, China's crude steel production was 48.7 million metric tons, an increase of 18.2 percent from last January. Japan produced 8.7 million metric tons of crude steel for the month, up 36.8 percent compared to the same month last year. South Korea showed an increase of 32.4 percent from January 2009, producing 4.5 million metric tons of crude steel in January 2010.

In the European Union, Germany's crude steel production for the month was 3.4 million metric tons, an increase of 27.7 percent compared to January 2009. Spain produced 1.4 million metric tons of crude steel for the month, an increase of 51.1 percent on January 2009. France's crude steel production was 1.1 million metric tons, up 32.3 percent compared to the same month last year.

Turkey produced 2.1 million metric tons of crude steel in January 2010, a 2 percent increase over the same month in 2009.

The United States produced 6.1 million metric tons of crude steel in January 2010, an increase of 48.8 percent compared to January 2009.

Brazilian crude steel production was 2.7 million metric tons, 66.6 percent higher than January 2009.

Russia produced 5.2 million metric tons of crude steel in January 2010, an increase of 33 percent on January 2009. Ukraine's crude steel production for January 2010 was 2.7 million metric tons, 28.4 percent higher than the same month last year.

Australia produced 0.6 million metric tons of crude steel in January 2010, recording a 38.6 percent increase over the same month in 2009.

The world crude steel capacity utilization ratio of the 66 countries for the month was 72.9 percent, an increase from 71.9 percent from the previous month. Additionally, January's utilization rate was an increase of 11.6 percent from January 2009.