Author: A.M. Kotas
Second International Conference on Commercial Opportunities in the Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals Sector CIM
Abstract
The world share of Russian apparent steel consumption illustrates the absolute decline of the country's industrial consumption over the space of the last 6-7 years and also illustrates the scale of the challenge faced by steel producers in Russia today. The Russian percentage of the world steel market was 9.5% in 1989, falling to 3% in 1995, which is an absolute level of just below 20 million metric tonnes of steel consumption. Over the same time, apparent world consumption decreased by 2.4% to 645 million tonnes. This fall in global steel consumption was almost entirely attributable to the demise of the Central and East European economies. Notice the almost static share held by regions other than Asia, where world share rose from 31% to 44%. The current crisis in Asia will undoubtedly change this picture again.
