Sorry for the delay in posting worldsteel figures for crude steel production by country in July, but here they are. Overall steel production was up 4% in July, led by a record-breaking performance in China. Global production is down year to date by about 20% versus last year, but down only 11% July 2009 compared to July, 2008. The data, along with all the monthly data for 2008, 2007 and 2006, are included in the Nerds of Steel spreadsheet below:
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We’re always pleased to hear about new technologies that aim to get the steel industry on the right side of the environmental impact debate – see ArcelorMittal and ThyssenKrupp announcements. So we’re happy to relay the announcement from LanzaTech in New Zealand regarding their technology to deal with carbon monoxide. Here’s what they say:
LanzaTech has developed a proprietary platform for producing lowest-cost fuel ethanol in any industrialized geography, at a much larger scale than is currently being envisioned elsewhere. LanzaTech’s core technology allows carbon monoxide containing gases to be used for fuel and chemical production by fermentation.
And here is the full release. All observations and comments welcome.
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Chinese crude steel production rose 3% from 49.43 million metric tonnes in June to 50.68 million tonnes in July. This is 13% higher than July 2008 production.
Net finished steel exports became positive after three negative months due to a 27% rise in finished exports to 1.81 million tonnes and a lower rise in finished imports to 1.74 million tonnes. To put this in perspective, finished steel exports were 7.21 million tonnes in July 2008 and finished steel imports were 1.44 million tonnes.
July apparent domestic consumption reached 48.36 million tonnes.
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Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports rose 12% from 252,000 short tons in June to 282,000 tons in July. This compares to flat products imports of 816,000 tons in September 2008 when we started collecting flat products license data.
Hot rolled imports increased by 23% to 146,000 tons and hot dip galvanized imports increased by 12% to 62,000 tons. Cut plate imports declined 14% to 23,000 tons and cold rolled imports were flat.
Licenses reported up to August 12th indicate that full month August results will be higher than July’s.
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Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports rose 4% from 105,000 short tons in June to 109,000 tons in July. To put this in perspective, US long products imports in July 2007 were 563,000 tons and in July 2008 they were 270,000 tons.
This marginal rise in total long products imports masks some significant changes in imports by product. For example, July licenses show rebar imports rising 70% to 36,000 tons and All Other Structual Shapes imports dropping 66% to 5,000 tons.
Licenses reported up to August 12th were 56,000 tons which indicates that long products imports will rise above July levels in the full month of August.
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Chinese crude steel production climbed 6% from 46.46 million metric tonnes in May to 49.43 million tonnes in June. This is 5% higher than June 2008 production. Net finished steel exports remained marginally negative. After declining every month since December 2008, finished steel exports rose 6% to 1.43 million tonnes.
Apparent domestic consumption continued to rise to record levels reaching 47.26 million tonnes in June, 17% higher than June 2008 consumption.
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