On September 15, the French Steel Federation (FFA) released the latest data regarding crude steel production in France. Accordingly, in August this year French crude steel production amounted to 1,027,750 metric tons, increasing by 19.7 percent year on year and down 30 percent as compared to July this year.

In July this year France's crude steel production had amounted to 1,465,700 mt with an increase of 13.6 percent compared to the same month last year and remaining unchanged (+0.5 percent) from the May level.

In July and August, steel production in France using electric arc furnaces (EAF) rose 20.9 percent and 53.7 percent year on year, reaching 549,300 mt and 230,450 mt respectively, while steel production with blast furnace (BF) technology totaled 916,400 mt and 797,300 mt, increasing by 9.6 percent and 12.5 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, in the first eight months of the current year, France's crude steel production amounted to 10,603,750 mt, increasing 2.3 percent compared to the same period last year. In this period, steel production in France using electric arc furnaces (EAF) rose 15.6 percent year on year, reaching 4,046,850 mt, while steel production with blast furnace (BF) technology totaled 6,556,900 mt, declining by 4.5 percent year on year.

The FFA also noted that domestic crude steel production in the first six months of the year was 18.8 percent below the January-August 2008 production figures.