Worldsteel reported crude steel production in China at 79.8 million metric tonnes in October, 11% higher than in October, 2021. Chinese production in the first ten months of 2022 was 2.3% lower than in the same period last year.
Data from China’s General Administration of Customs show China’s net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) at 4.4 million tonnes in October, 31% higher than in October, 2021. Net finished steel exports over the first ten months of 2022 were 4% higher than in the first ten months of 2021.
China monthly crude steel production
Thousand metric tonnes
Hot steel billet descaling after furnace, Baotou Iron & Steel Group, China, from Worldsteel Image Library
China produced 79.8 million tonnes this October, accounting for 54% of world output and rising 11.0% on October, 2021. In contrast, world crude steel production outside China was 67.5 million tonnes, declining 8.4% on last October.
The countries outside China which contributed the most to this decline include Japan (-10.6%), Russia (estimated at -11.5%), South Korea (-12.1%) and the US (-8.9%).
World crude steel production in the first ten months of 2022 was 3.4% lower than in the same period last year while China’s output over the same period fell 2.3%.
Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports fell 6% from 359,000 short tons in October, 2021 to 336,000 tons last month. The decline was mainly due to lower wire rod imports from Egypt and Canada, as well as lower rebar imports from Algeria, Egypt and Mexico.
Long products imports in the first ten months of 2022 were 25% higher than in the same period last year with the highest volume increases coming from wire rod (+35%), rebar (+18%), and parallel flange sections (+37%).
US long products import licenses
January 2015 to October 2022
Short tons
Construction of the foundation for a Senvion 3.2M114 wind turbine in the Kreuzstetten IV wind farm by Kwerdenker, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports fell 25% from 948,000 short tons in October, 2021 to 712,000 tons in October, 2022. The decline was mainly due to lower hot rolled imports from Turkey, South Korea, Mexico and Canada. Hot dip galvanized imports also fell significantly from Vietnam, South Africa, Canada and Mexico.
Based on January to September imports and October import licenses, US flat products imports for the first ten months of 2022 were 7% higher than in the same period last year with cold rolled +24%, hot dip galvanized +9%, cut plate +5% and hot rolled -1%.
US flat products import licenses from US Steel Import Monitor
Worldsteel reported crude steel production in China at 87.0 million metric tonnes in September, 17.6% higher than in September, 2021. Chinese production in the first nine months of 2022 was 3.5% lower than in the same period last year.
Data from China’s General Administration of Customs show China’s net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) at 4.1 million tonnes in September, 11.7% higher than in September, 2021. Net finished steel exports over the first nine months of 2022 were 1.5% higher than in the first nine months of 2021.
China produced 87.0 million tonnes this September, accounting for 57% of world output and rising 17.6% on September, 2021. In contrast, world crude steel production outside China was 64.6 million tonnes, declining 11% on last September.
The countries which contributed the most to this year-on-year decline include Japan (-12.3%), South Korea (-15.4%), Turkey (-19.4%) and the United States (-7.5%).
World crude steel production in the first nine months of 2022 was 3.8% lower than in the same period last year while China’s output over the same period fell 3.5%.
