The world production of crude stainless steel fell last year, but should stage a recovery in 2006, according to Meps forecasts. Estimated output in the first quarter of this year has increased from the low levels of periods three and four last year, but remains below the comparable period of 2005. Meps estimate that crude stainless steel production in the western world (excluding China and Russia) reached 20.81 million tonnes in 2005. This was a decline of just over 1 million tonnes, or 4.8%, in 2004. The sharpest fall came in the EU , where an estimate 2005 production was below 8.25 million tonnes – about 6.5% less than in 2004. Output also declined in Japan (by 5%), the USA (by 8%) and South Korea (by 4.6%). But stainless steel production surged ahead in China in 2005 – reaching 3.2 million tonnes. There was also a significant rise in India – up 11% to 1.5 million tonnes. This left global output, last year, at an estimated 24.3 million tonnes – about 300,000 tonnes or 1.2% less than in 2004.
