Crude steel output off slightly in ’94

World crude steel production in 1994 totalled 723.3 million tonnes.

The International Iron and Steel Institute of Brussels says preliminary figures place output 0.9% below the 1993 level and 8% below the peak production in 1989.

The institute says real growth in crude steel output in the market-based economies was offset last year by continuing sharp falls in the level of production in the former Soviet Union.

Western European output jumped about 5% since 1993, while U.S. output increased minimally.

Poland, Hungary and Romania also experienced increases, while Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan were down significantly.

Output in Latin America was up considerably, as was production in the Middle East. Output in Africa continued to stagnate.

Japan (98.3 million tonnes) was the top producer of crude steel in 1994, followed by China (91.5 million tonnes) and the U.S. (88.9 million tonnes).