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| World Output Of Crude Stainless Steel In First Half 2009 Decreased By 26% |
| = Produced 10.848 Million Tons, Output In Apr. - Jun. Quarter Recovered |
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According to the data compiled and released in this week by International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF), the world output of crude stainless steel in the first half (January - June) of 2009 was 10.848 million tons, which had a considerable decrease of 26.7% compared with that (14.798 million tons) in the same period of 2008 and deepened an influence of the global recession arisen from September of 2008. The quantities of crude stainless steel produced by main regions of the world in the first half of 2009 were as per the table attached hereto. Stainless steel products have been consumed mainly by the automobile industry and, particularly, 40 - 50% in consumption of chrome-based stainless steel products has changed to rely on the automobile industry. Therefore, a reduction in manufacturing of automobile has put a direct influence on production activities of stainless steel.The case, having decreased production of stainless steel in the first half of 2009, became a common phenomenon on worldwide scale and resulted in having indicated simultaneously a depression in the world. However, only China produced 4.067 million tons of crude stainless steel in the first half of 2009, which had an increase of 5.3% compared to that (3.861 million tons) in the same period of 2008. The quarterly quantities of crude stainless steel produced by China in the first half of 2009 were 1.769 million tons for January - March quarter and 2.298 million tons for April - June quarter respectively, having still shown a gradual expansion. The expenditure of CNY4 trillion made by the Central Government of China to stimulate the Chinese economy has benefitted favorably such basic industries as public enterprises, automobile industry, and so on. The regional activities in production of crude stainless steel for the first half of 2009 were as follows ; (1)Western Europe / Africa = This region produced 2.894 million tons of crude stainless steel in the first half of 2009, having had a considerable decrease of 40.5% from that in the same period of 2008, but the output in April - June quarter was 1.580 million tons as increased by 20.3% from that in the preceding quarter of January - March. (2)The Americas = This region produced 829,000 tons of crude stainless steel in the first half of 2009, which had a large decline of 40.6% from that in the same period of 2008 and indicated the same decrease as that in Western Europe / Africa. The recovery in production of crude stainless steel in the Americas for April - June quarter was unable to progress rapidly and this aspect entirely differed from that in Western Europe. (3)China = This country produced 4.067 million tons of crude stainless steel in the first half of 2009, having increased by 5.3% compared with that in the same period of 2008, and was only the one in the world as recorded an expansion of the output. China is informed to maintain a basic tone to increase further their production in the second half of 2009. (4)Asia (excluding China) = This region produced 2.959 million tons of crude stainless steel in the first half of 2009, which had a considerable decrease of 34.0% compared with that in the same period of 2008 and took the same orbit as those in Western Europe and the Americas, but recovered the output from April - June quarter and, as a matter of fact, produced 1.670 million tons of crude stainless steel in the second quarter as increased by 29.6% from that in the preceding quarter of January - March. For a reference, the world shares of stainless steel produced in the first half of 2009 and classified by grades were <> 200 series : by 13.0% (compared to 11.4% in the calendar year of 2008), <> 300 series : by 62.1% (60.5% in 2008 ) and <> 400 series : by 24.8% (28.1% in 2008). As mentioned above, a majority of 400 series (chrome-based stainless steel products) has been consumed by the automobile industry and, therefore, a substantial reduction in manufacturing of automobile has caused a considerable influence on production of chrome-based stainless steel products. On the other hand, owing to the steeply risen nickel prices as arisen in 2007 to 2008, the phenomenon to leave from nickel use has come up and the world production of 300 series (nickel-based stainless steel products) had once decreased substantially but has currently recovered for a fall of nickel prices as seen from autumn of 2008. |
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| last modified : Wed 30 Sep, 2009 [10:15] |
