World production gathers a strong pace. (statistics).

Total September steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the International Iron and Steel Institute was 68.1Mt. This is a 0.2% decrease over the same period last year and a 0.3% increase over last month.

Production in North America dropped 12.2% from 10.8Mt in September 2000

Production in the European Union came to 13.4Mt, a 0.6% increase over September 2000 results and a 1.6Mt increase over last month's figures. Comparing January-September 2001 to the same period last year, UK production dropped by 8.3%, and output in France and Germany was reduced by 5.0% and 3.2% respectively. Italian results were stronger, with production rising by 1.5% as compared to September 2000, by 851kt as compared to last month's results and by 1.6% over the past 9 months.

Output in the other European countries display a reduction of 4.7% over last year's results, with only the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Turkey increasing their production (by 3.0%, 18.2% and 11.3% respectively).

The CIS has increased its production by 1.1% over September 2000 results and by 2.9% over the past 9 months. September 2001 production totaled 8.1Mt, showing a slight decrease from the 8.5Mt produced in August 2001.

Apart from India and Japan, whose production fell by 0.7% and 3.5% respectively, Asian total output remained strong, at 27.5Mt. Total Asian results show an increase of 3.9% over the same time period last year and of 4.6% or 10.8Mt over the past 9 months. Chinese production grew by 10.3%, or 1.1Mt, over September 2000.

Output in South America was 3.1% down over September last year at 3.2Mt. Over the last 9 months, figures show a 3.4% decrease, from 29.1Mt in January-September 2000 to 28.1Mt during the same period this year.

World production of 620kt for the nine months of 2001 remains at a very strong pace compared to the 620.8Mt for the same period last year. Although the outlook for global economic growth has weakened substantially, production continues at close to last year's record pace.

The two major changes by country include Mainland China up 9.4Mt and the USA down by 8.9Mt. Major changes by region include increases of 10.8Mt in Asia, 2.1Mt in the CIS and 1.7Mt in Africa, with decreases of 11.9Mt in North America, 2.0Mt in the EU-15 and 1.0Mt in South America.