Metal & Oil & Gas News – 
The International Stainless Steel Forum has released figures for Q1 2014 showing that stainless steel melt shop production increased by 6.8% YoY to 10.2 million tonnes. Production increased in all regions.
With YoY growth of 3.0% Asia (without China) produced 2.2 million tonnes. Japan and South Korea recorded increases of 9.5% and 3.5% respectively. India and Taiwan, China were negative with –2.6% and –3.6% respectively. Stainless steel production in China increased by 11.1% to 5.1 million tonnes YoY. China produces about half of the world’s stainless steel.
Production in Western Europe and Africa increased by 0.2% to 2.2 million tonnes. France increased by 10.1%, but Germany declined by 18.9%, Italy by 2.4% and Austria by 2.0%.
Production increased by 11.9% to 0.7 million tonnes in the Americas and by 5.5% to 0.1 million tonnes in Central and Eastern Europe.
Stainless and heat resisting melt shop steel production [000 metric tonnes]
| Region | Quarter | +/- % | ||||
| 1/2013 | 4/2013 | 1/2014 | QoQ | YoY | ||
| Western Europe/Africa | 2157 | 1813 | 2160 | 19.20% | 0.20% | |
| Central/Eastern Europe | 67r | 80r | 71 | -11.50% | 5.50% | |
| The Americas | 598 | 630 | 670 | 6.20% | 11.90% | |
| Asia (w/o China) | 2170 | 2301 | 2234 | -2.90% | 3.00% | |
| China | 4575 | 4809 | 5084 | 5.70% | 11.10% | |
| Total | 9,568r | 9,633r | 10219 | 6.10% | 6.80% |
Source – Strategic Research Institute
