China buoys stainless production totals in 2016

Global – Interim figures released by the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF) indicate that global stainless and heat-resisting melt shop production surged 10.2% last year to 44.9 million tonnes.

However, production growth in China easily outstripped the world average in leaping 15.7% year on year to 24.938 million tonnes, thereby accounting for more than 55% of total world output in 2016.

In the Western Europe/Africa region last year, stainless and heat-resisting melt shop production climbed 2.4% to 7.702 million tonnes while the Americas recorded a gain of 6.7% to 2.931 million tonnes.

The only region to register a production decline in 2016 was Central/Eastern Europe (-4.6% year on year to 247 000 tonnes).

The ISSF points out that its statistics contain incomplete data for the rest of Asia excluding China.