Timeless Strength

In January 2024, the global crude steel production landscape witnessed various shifts and trends, as reported by the World Steel Association (worldsteel). Despite a slight dip in worldwide production compared to the previous year, several regions showcased notable developments, with Africa notably standing out with a significant increase.

According to worldsteel’s data, the total crude steel production for the 71 countries reporting amounted to 148.1 million tonnes (Mt) in January 2024, reflecting a marginal decrease of 1.6% compared to January 2023 figures. However, Africa’s production, standing at 2.0 Mt during the same period, experienced a remarkable upswing of 16.3% from the previous year.

Asia and Oceania combined contributed 107.6 Mt to the global production, indicating a decrease of 3.6%. The European Union (EU 27) produced 10.2 Mt, a slight decline of 1.8%, while Europe, excluding the EU, witnessed a substantial increase of 22.5% with a production of 3.9 Mt. The Middle East recorded a noteworthy growth of 23.1%, reaching a production of 4.7 Mt.

North America’s production stood at 9.2 Mt, experiencing a decline of 2.1%, while Russia, other CIS countries, and Ukraine collectively produced 7.2 Mt, showcasing a 4.0% increase. South America, however, faced a downturn with a production of 3.4 Mt, indicating a decrease of 6.3%.

Of particular interest is South Africa’s performance in the steel production arena. In January 2024, South Africa’s crude steel production surged to 406,600 tons, marking a significant uptick of 24.8% compared to the same period in 2023 when it stood at 325,800 tons.