International Steel Mills
June 28, 2020
World Steel Production Down 8.7 Percent in May
Written by Tim Triplett
The COVID-19 pandemic took a serious toll on global steel output in May everywhere but in China. The World Steel Association reports that world steel production declined by 8.7 percent last month, compared with May 2019, to an estimated 148.8 million metric tons.
Steel production in China actually increased by 4.2 percent in May to 92.3 million tons as its economic recovery is ahead of the pace in most other nations. For the first five months of the year, Chinese steel production increased by 1.9 percent versus 2019 to 411.8 million tons–nearly 57 percent of the estimated world total.
