Iran's crude steel output over 13m tons

Tehran, Nov 23, IRNA - Iran produced 13.51m tons of crude steel in the first 10 months of 2014, indicating a 6.23-percent growth compared with last year’s 12.71m tons. According to the latest statistics released by World Steel Association (WSA), China topped the list of crude steel producers in the period with 685.34 million tons. Japan, the US, India, South Korea, Russia, Germany, Brazil, Turkey and Ukraine were at second to tenth places with 92.49m tons, 73.66m tons, 69.49m tons, 59.45m tons, 58.99m tons, 36.09m tons, 28.6m tons, 28.43m tons and 23.38m tons respectively, according to Sunday's edition of 'Iran Daily'. Middle East crude steel producers produced 23.19m tons of crude steel during the period, while Iran’s share was 58.25 percent. In October, Iran produced 1.44m tons of crude steel, which is 1.04 percent higher than the September output of 1.42m tons. Global steel production in October amounted to 136.73m tons, which shows a 1.85-percent rise compared with last year’s corresponding figure of 134.25m tons. According to WSA statistics, Iran had an increasing rate of production since 2008. From 2008 to 2013, annual crude steel production was 9.96m tons, 10.9m tons, 11.99m tons, 13.19m tons,14.46m tons and 15.42m tons. WSA is the international trade body of the iron and steel industry, which represents about 170 steel producers. Its members constitute 98 percent of world steel production./end