World steel production hit record in 2010

Global crude steel output rose 15 percent in 2010 to 1.4 billion metric tonnes, a new record, the World Steel Association (WSA) said on Friday. "All the major steel-producing countries and regions showed double-digit growth in 2010," the industry's trade body said. Growth rates were higher in the European Union and North America, but this was coming off 2009 figures impacted by the global economic crisis.
In China, the world's top producer, crude steel production in 2010 rose 9.3 percent to 626.7 million metric tonnes, the WSA said. China's share of world crude steel production declined from 46.7 percent in 2009 to 44.3 percent in 2010 In December 2010 crude steel production totalled 116.2 million metric tonnes, an increase of 7.8 percent from December 2009, said the WSA.