Worldsteel reported crude steel production in China at 75 million metric tonnes in February, 10.0% lower than in February, 2021. Chinese production in the first two months of 2022 was 11.9% lower than in the same period last year.
Data from the General Administration of Customs show China’s net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) for January and February, 2022 at 6.0 million tonnes, 29% lower than in the same two months of 2021.
China monthly crude steel production
Thousand metric tonnes
“A VR-operated Dr16 class diesel locomotive (number 2806) with freight wagons at the railway station of Tornio in Finland. The two wagons closest to the locomotive are carrying what appear to be rolled steel coils.” by Methem (Mikko J. Putkonen), CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Based on reported import licenses, US long steel products imports increased 47% from 227,000 short tons in February, 2021 to 335,000 tons last month. Both rebar and wire rod drove the increase. Rebar imports rose mainly due to higher volumes form Algeria while wire rod imports increased following higher volumes from India, Algeria, Germany and Mexico.
Long products imports in the first two months of 2022 were 37% higher than in the same period last year with wire rod showing the largest volume increase.
US long products import licenses
January 2015 to February 2022
Short tons
“Erection of steel Frame Building, Yeovil (3) One of the erectors waits patiently high in his cherry picker to receive his end of the new beam so that he can bolt it to the existing structure already erected behind him.” by Nigel Mykura / Erection of steel Frame Building, Yeovil (3) from Wikimedia Commons
China produced 75.0 million tonnes in February, accounting for 53% of world output and falling 10.0% on February, 2021. In other parts of Asia, Indian crude steel production rose 7.6%, but Japanese production fell 2.3%, and South Korean production dropped 6%.
European Union steel production fell 2.5% on last February despite a 3.8% increase in Germany. North American production rose 1.8% with US output up 1.4%. Other significant changes compared to last February include production declines in Turkey (-3.3%) and Brazil (-6.9%).
Corus (now Tata Steel) plant, 2007. This is number 5 Blast Furnace located at the Port Talbot Steel Plant South Wales UK, by Grubb at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports increased 6% from 640,000 short tons in February, 2021 to 680,000 tons in February, 2022. The rise was mainly due to an increase in hot dip galvanized imports from Vietnam, Turkey, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates, though it was partially offset by a decline in hot rolled imports from South Korea, Japan, and Canada.
Based on January imports and February import licenses, US flat products imports in the first two months of 2022 were 53% higher than in the same period last year with hot dip galvanized imports +74%, cold rolled imports +76%, cut plate imports +36%, and hot rolled imports +34%.
Steel Imports Monitor US Flat Products Imports Licenses
January 2014 to February 2022
Short tons
“Budaörs railway station (Hungary), ‘Shmms’ special flat wagon. Four-axle special freight wagon suitable for transportation of sheet metal coils. Bogie: Y25Cs. [1] – Raktár Street, Budaörs, Pest County.” by Globetrotter19, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
China produced 81.7 million tonnes in January, accounting for 53% of world output and falling 11.2% on January, 2021. In other parts of Asia, Indian steel production rose 4.7% on last January, but Japanese output fell 2.1%, as did South Korean output by 1.0%.
European Union crude steel production fell 6.8% on last January following a 1.4% decline in Germany. North American production rose 2.5% with US output up 4.2%. Other significant changes compared to January include a 7.8% decline in Turkey, a 4.8% drop in Brazil, and a 20.3% production increase in Iran.
“Belts or chains of a pig iron casting machine with the moulds filled by liquid hot pig iron before cooling it with water and turning it into hard ingots of pig iron. The foto is taken at one of the pig iron casting machines in Ukraine.” by Blast furnace chip worker, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Based on reported import licenses, US long steel products imports rose 42% from 258,000 short tons in January, 2021 to 368,000 tons in January, 2022.
Wire rod imports rose by the highest percentage and volume, increasing by 114% due to higher volumes from a number of countries including Mexico, India and Algeria. Imports of all other long products categories rose, with the exception of rebar, where imports fell marginally at 3% due to lower imports from Turkey which were offset by increasing imports from Algeria.
US long products import licenses
January 2015 to January 2022
Short tons
“Vaulted roof with coffered niches at the Novokosino subway station. Moscow.” by STALFORM Engineering, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
