Global stainless steel production increased 2.6% in the third quarter

According to the latest data from the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF), global stainless steel output reached 8.3 million tons in the third quarter of 2012, an increase of 2.6% over the same period last year. In the first three quarters of this year, global stainless steel output reached 26.1 million tons, an increase of 2.9% over the same period of last year.

In the third quarter, China’s stainless steel output reached 3.7 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 5.7%. From January to September, China's stainless steel output reached 11.4 million tons, an increase of 7.9% year-on-year. Western European/African production in the third quarter reached 1.7 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 4.2%; January-September production reached 6 million tons, an increase of 0.7% from 5.9 million tons in the same period last year. In the third quarter of the Americas, production reached 600,000 tons, an increase of 9.1% year-on-year; production from January to September decreased by 5.5% year-on-year to 1.8 million tons. In the third quarter of Central and Eastern Europe, production decreased by 13.7% year-on-year to 90,000 tons, and production from January to September decreased by 10.6% year-on-year to 270,000 tons.