The latest BIR World Mirror for ferrous metals shows that between January to September 2011 there was higher steel scrap consumption for crude steel production from major steel producers.
China, the EU-27, USA, Russia and Turkey all saw increases in steel scrap usage in this period.
BIR ferrous division statistics advisor Rolf Willeke wrote: “It is worthy of note that the increases in steel scrap usage in the EU-27 (+5.7 per cent to 76.8 million tonnes), the USA (+10.3 per cent to 41.6 million tonnes) and Turkey (+22.7 per cent to 22.2 million tonnes) were greater than the respective upturns in crude steel production, which were: the EU-27 up 4.3 per cent at 135.7 million tonnes, the USA up to 6.2 per cent to 64.7 million tonnes and Turkey up 18.9 per cent at 25.1 million tonnes.
“The increase in Chinese scrap consumption (+9.6 per cent to 72.9 million tonnes) was slightly lower in proportional terms than the upturn in crude steel production (+10.7 per cent to 525.7 million tonnes). This was the same for Russia where the increase in crude steel production (+4.3 per cent to 51.9 million tonnes) exceeded the hike in scrap consumption (+2.4 per cent to 16.1 million tonnes). For Japan, it is interesting to note that the decline in steel scrap usage (-2 per cent to 28.1 million tonnes) was slightly greater than the decrease in crude steel production (-1.1 per cent to 81 million tonnes).
“In the first nine months of 2011, global trade in steel scrap was particularly influenced by the USA as the world’s leading global importer. The 15.3 per cent increase in Turkey’s overseas purchases to 15.65 million tonnes reinforced the country’s position as the world’s top importer. At the same time, it is worth noting the 6 per cent increase in the Republic of Korea’s external purchases to 6.44 million tonnes, the 4.2 per cent upturn in Chinese scrap imports to 4.77 million tonnes and the 1.6 per cent decline in Taiwan’s overseas order to 4.03 million tonnes.”
