
World crude steel production was 151.4 million tonnes in January 2025, down 4.4 percent on the year, the World Steel Association reported on 25 February 2025. Output fell across most major producing countries: China, the world's largest producer, made an estimated 81.9 million tonnes, down 5.6 percent, while Iran recorded the steepest fall among the top ten, down 24.1 percent to 2.2 million tonnes. Germany, South Korea and Japan also reported lower output. India and the United States were the only top-ten producers to grow, with India up 6.8 percent to 13.6 million tonnes. By region, production in Asia and Oceania fell 4.5 percent to 112.3 million tonnes, the Middle East dropped 15.3 percent, and the European Union slipped 3.3 percent to 10.3 million tonnes. The only region to grow was Russia, Ukraine and the other former Soviet states, up 1.4 percent. The weak start to the year reflected soft construction and manufacturing demand in most major markets.
Source: World Steel Association — https://worldsteel.org/media/press-releases/2025/january-2025-crude-steel-production/
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (freely licensed).
