Steel mills in the United States produced 86 million tons last year, a 18% year-over-year jump, according to the World Steel Association.
The United States ranked fourth worldwide in steel production last year, according to the association. In December, U.S. steel mills produced 7.2 million tons of steel, an 11.9% increase.
The Brussels, Belgium-based organization reported that mills worldwide produced 1.9 billion tons of steel last year, a 3.7% increase as compared to 2020. Worldwide steel production fell 3% to 158.7 million tons in December.
Africa made 16 million tons of steel last year, a 26.7% increase as compared to 2020. Steel production fell by 0.6% to 1.38 billion tons in Asia and Oceania. Output rose 15.4% to 152.5 million tons in the Commonwealth of Independent States in Eurasia; by 27.1% to 11.6 million tons in the European Union; by 11.6% to 51.2 million tons in the rest of Europe; by 1.2% to 41.2 million tons in the Middle East; and by 17.8% to 45.6 million tons in South America.
In North America, steel production grew 16.6% to 117.8 million tons last year. Steel production rose 7.5% to 9.7 million tons in North America in December.
The United States trailed China, India and Japan in steel output in 2021. China single-handedly accounted for more than half of the world’s steel production with 1.03 billion tons, a 3% year-over-year decrease and nearly nine times more than any other country.
Last year, steel production rose by 17.8% to 118.1 million tons in India; 14.9% to 96.3 million tons in Japan; 4.4% to 6.3 million tons in Russia; 6.1% to 76 million tons in South Korea; 12.3% to 40.1 million tons in Germany; 12.7% to 40.4 million tons in Turkey; and 14.7% to 36 million tons in Brazil. Steel production fell 1.8% to 28.5 million tons in Iran.
Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
