Preliminary figures released by the International Stainless Steel Forum showed that global stainless crude steel production increased by +5.5% for the first 9 months of 2013 YoY. Production for the first 9 months of 2013 totaled 28 million tonnes up 1.4 mmt in comparison to the same period of 2012. Production for the Q3 2013 was at 9.3 mmt, a new all time Q3 high. However significant differences in regional development prevail.

Asia excluding China recorded a stainless crude steel production of 6.5 mmt during Q1 and Q3 of 2013 corresponding to YoY decrease of -1.4%. The development of this region shows a mixed picture ranging from +5% (India) to -6% (Taiwan, China). In the PR of China stainless steel production increased by 1.9 mmt or +15.7% to 13.7 mmt during the first nine months in comparison to 2012. China now accounts for roughly half of global production.

The development of Western Europe/Africa was distinctly different with a YoY decrease of -5.6% (-0.336 mmt) and a total stainless steel production of 5.7 mmt for the first 9 months of 2013. Here too the development is heterogeneous fluctuating from +1 to +3% in Belgium and France to double digit negative values in Italy and Germany with the UK trailing behind at -15%.

Stainless steel production in the Americas for the first 3 quarters of 2013 is stable in comparison to last year at 1.8 mmt with an upward trend during this period. Central and Eastern Europe display a strong growth at +8% and 0.30 mmt, up from 0.27 mmt.

Q3 of 2013 was stronger than Q2 thus not following the usual seasonal pattern. In the face of regional economic developments which in general show a strong Q2 and weaker Q3 this is most likely a singular quarter on quarter compensational effect. Western Europe/Africa and Central and Eastern Europe are the exceptions displaying the usual seasonal downturn.