Germany December crude steel output grows 4.5% to 3.16 million mt

Germany December crude steel output grows 4.5% to 3.16 million mt. Germany's December crude steel output grew 4.5% to 3.16 million mt on a year earlier, while slipping 17.7% on production seen in November 2010, national steel industry association Wirtschaftvereinigung Stahl said. WV Stahl said output for the full year was 43.8 million mt, 34% higher than Germany's total for 2009 when the financial crisis hit demand domestically and for exports of automobiles, machinery and white goods. Steel capacity utilization on a nominal basis was 84% last year, up from a global average of 78%, it said. In November 2010, hot-rolled steel output totaled 3.3 million mt, up 29.6% on November 2009. Flat products totaled 2.17 million mt, 36.6% higher, while long products saw a smaller 17.2% year on year increase to 1.15 million mt in November, WV Stahl added.