Posted on 04 Sep 2025
Total production of crude stainless steel worldwide gained again during the second quarter of this year, with the total tonnage up 3.1% on year at 16.36 million tonnes, according to new data released by Brussels-based worldstainless.
The result was 5% higher compared with that for the first quarter of this year, mainly reflected in stronger production of China, in the United States and in the combined output of Brazil, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine, the release showed.
China, the world's largest stainless producer and consumer, produced 10.5 million tonnes of crude stainless steel over April-June, jumping by 9.6% from the previous quarter.
During the second quarter, crude stainless steel production in the United States increased by 1.1% on quarter to 559,000 tonnes, and the combined output of Brazil, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine came in at 225,000 tonnes, rising by 1% from January-March.
Crude stainless output in Europe (excluding Russia and Ukraine) and Asia (without China) declined in the second quarter, dropping by 4.1% and 2.2% respectively on quarter to 1.5 million tonnes and 3.5 million tonnes, the association's statistics showed.
For the first half of this year, crude stainless steel output globally totalled 31.94 million tonnes, with production in China reaching 20.17 million tonnes, according to the association.
Data released by the Stainless Steel Council of China Iron and Steel Association (CSSC) in late July showed that China's apparent consumption of stainless steel grew by 497,800 tonnes or 3.1% on-year to 16.57 million tonnes, well below the country's output.
Chinese stainless steel prices hovered low during January-June from the mismatch between supply and demand. At the end of June, Mysteel assessed the spot price of 304/2B Hongwang 2*1240mm stainless cold-rolled coil in Wuxi in East China's Jiangsu province at Yuan 12,650/tonne ($1,769/t) in-warehouse and including the 13% VAT, lower by Yuan 350/t from the beginning of this year.
Source:Mysteel Global
