Global stainless steel production in 2025 grew by 2.1% y/y

In 2025, global stainless steel production increased by 2.1% y/y – to 64.2 million tons. This is evidenced by data from the non-profit organization World Stainless Association.

Last year, Asia as a whole increased stainless steel production by 2.7% – to 55.3 million tons. China produced 40.87 million tons (63.7%) last year, up 3.6% year-on-year.

The European Union reduced its output by 1.9% year-on-year to 5.7 million tons. The United States produced 2.1 million tons, which is 7.6% more than in 2024, while other countries (Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, Great Britain) produced 1.1 million tons (-11.3% y/y).

It should be noted that global stainless steel production in 2024 increased by 7% compared to 2023, reaching 62.62 million tons. Over the year, Europe, including Ukraine, increased stainless steel production by 1.5% y/y – to 6.09 million tons. The US increased its production by 6.9% y/y – to 1.95 million tons over 12 months. China produced 39.44 million tons of stainless steel during the same period, up 7.5% y/y. In Asia, excluding China and South Korea, stainless steel production grew by 6.4% y/y last year – to 7.32 million tons.

As reported by GMK Center, the Italian government will stimulate the production of scrap-based stainless steel. The 2026 budget law provided financial incentives for such producers until 2028. The aim of this measure is to promote decarbonization and energy conservation in production processes, which will lead to a reduction in energy consumption by companies.