In the first three months of 2015, Asia produced 272.0 Mt of crude steel, a decrease of -1.1% over the first quarter of 2014. The EU produced 43.7 Mt of crude steel in the first quarter of 2015, slightly down by -0.6% compared to the same quarter of 2014. North Americaâs crude steel production in the first three months of 2015 was 28.1 Mt, a decrease of -6.4% compared to the first quarter of 2014. The C.I.S. produced 24.8 Mt of crude steel in the first three months of 2015, a decrease of -5.9% over the same months of 2014.
Chinaâs crude steel production for March 2015 was 69.5 Mt, a -1.2% decrease compared to March 2014. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan produced 9.3 Mt of crude steel in March 2015, a decrease of -4.5% compared to March 2014.
In the EU, Germany produced 3.9 Mt of crude steel in March 2015, a decrease of -4.4% compared to March 2014. Italy produced 2.1 Mt of crude steel, down by -9.8% on March 2014. Franceâs crude steel production was 1.4 Mt, an increase of 3.0% compared to March 2014. Turkeyâs crude steel production for March 2015 was 2.8 Mt, down by -4.1% on March 2014.
The US produced 6.6 Mt of crude steel in March 2015, a decrease of -12.7% compared to March 2014. Brazilâs crude steel production for March 2015 was 2.8 Mt, down by -7.4% on March 2014.
The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio for the 65 countries in March 2015 was 71.6%. It is -4 percentage points lower than March 2014. Compared to February 2015, it is -1.8 percentage points lower.
