Global stainless steel production up 10.6% on year in 2021: ISSF

World stainless steel melt shop production rose 10.6% year on year in 2021 to 56.3 million mt, according to figures released March 14 by International Stainless Steel Forum.

Output was up in all regions monitored by the ISSF, with Asia, outside of China and South Korea, showing the largest climb of 21.2% year on year to 7.8 million mt. However, this made up just 13.8% of the overall total.

Production in China rose 1.6% year on year to 30.6 million mt in 2021, 54.4% of the total global output.

Double-digit year-on-year increases were also seen in Europe, up 13.6% to 7.2 million mt, and the US, up 10.4% to 2.4 million mt.

Output in the "others" category -- comprising Brazil, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and Indonesia -- also increased 42% year on year to 8.3 million mt in 2021.

Q4 output down 2.9% on year

Global melt shop production in the fourth quarter of 2021 was down 2.9% year on year, but 1.2% higher on the quarter to 13.7 million mt.

Chinese output for the quarter dropped 12.5% year on year to 7.2 million mt, although this edged up 0.3% from the third quarter.

Q4 production in the US also fell 5.3% year on year and 2.5% on the quarter to 538,000 mt. Production in the rest of Asia and Europe increased 10.1% and 2.8% year on year, respectively, to 2 million mt and 1.8 million mt.

Quarterly production in the other regions was up 23.5% on the year, but down 0.2% from Q3 to 2.2 million mt.