For the first quarter of 2010 just under 7.5mmt of stainless steel was produced, almost the highest ever volume for the first three months of a year. All areas of the world contributed to the increase in production with The Americas leading the way. Nevertheless, a comparison with Q1 2009 is strongly impacted by the extraordinary low production level in Q1 2009 due to the crisis: the apparent increase in production by 54.6% cannot be sustained throughout 2010. ISSF has previously noted that a recovery began in the last two quarters of 2009 as production began to return to normal levels.
