Photo from UNIAN
All the 64 countries ranked by the WSA increased steel output by 4.5% in 2018 against 2017, to 1.79 billion tonnes.
Ukrainian steelmakers cut steel output by 1.1% in 2018 against 2017, to 21.1 million tonnes, having slid from the 12th to the 13th place in the international steelmakers rating drawn up by the World Steel Association (WSA).
Read alsoUkrainian steelmakers hope for state support in competition with China, Russia
China continued to top the rating in 2018 with 928.3 million tonnes of steel (6.6% up from 2017). It was followed by India (106.5 million tonnes, 4.9% up), Japan (104.3 million tonnes, 0.3% down), the United States (86.7 million tonnes, 1.1% up), South Korea (72.5 million tonnes, 2% up), Russia (71.7 million tonnes, 0.3% up), Germany (42.4 million tonnes, 2% down), Turkey (37.3 million tonnes, 0.6% down), Brazil (34.7 million tonnes, 1.1% up), Iran (25 million tonnes, 17.7% up), Italy 24.5 million tonnes, 1.7% up), and Taiwan (23.2 million tonnes, 3.5% up).
In total, the 64 countries ranked by the WSA increased steel output by 4.5% in 2018 against 2017, to 1.79 billion tonnes.
As reported, Ukraine in December 2018 ranked 12th with 1.9 million tonnes of produced steel. At the same time, steel production in Ukraine shrank by 0.6% in December 2018 year-over-year (y-o-y).
China also retained its top position in December 2018 with 78 million tonnes of steel (8.2% up from December 2017).
In general, the 64 countries ranked by the WSA boosted steel production by 4.2% in December 2018 y-o-y, to 147 million tonnes.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine in 2017 slid to the 12th place in the international steelmakers rating, having cut production by 6.4% against 2016, to 22.7 million tonnes.
UNIAN memo. Ukraine ranked seventh in the WSA rating 2013 in terms of steel output, having produced 30.4 million tonnes. In 2014, the country slid to the 10th place with a steel output of 27.2 million tonnes. Since 2014, two factors have affected domestic steelmakers' activities: hostilities in Donbas, where more than half of steel production facilities are located, and a decline in world prices of raw materials for metallurgy and finished products. They reduced steelmakers' revenue and toughened competition on global markets, which was most evident in 2015. However, Ukraine managed to keep its 10th position in the industry rating in 2015 and 2016.