The International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF), a non-profit research organisation representing the interests of the international stainless steel industry towards the general public, consumers, the media and regulatory authorities, has recently released figures for the first half year of 2016 showing that overall global stainless steel melt shop production increased by 4.1% year–on–year to 22.1 million metric tons. Western Europe/Africa saw an increase in production of 5% in Q2, over Q1 in 2016, but fell by 1.4% year on year. Production in Central/ Eastern Europe has seen no increase, but fell by 5.2% y-o-y. The Americas also showed a decrease in production y-o-y although it has risen by a healthy 12.4% in Q2 over Q1 in 2016. Asia (excluding China) shows an increase of 2.2% this year in Q2 over Q1 and a respectable y-o-y rise of 3.4%. China’s production has risen by 7.9% y-o-y, the largest global increase in production figures.
