Crude steel output in Spain increased by 18.9pc to 1.11mn mt in October from 936,000mt in the prior month, according to the latest World Steel Association (worldsteel) data.
The most recent Spanish crude steel production figures reflect the resumption of output from ArcelorMittal Europe’s 2.4mn mt Asturias (Gijón) blast furnace (BF) and 1.8mn mt Sestao electric arc furnace (EAF). Despite the two resumptions, countrywide output remained 7.7pc below 1.21mn mt produced in the same month last year.
Domestic blast furnace iron output increased by 44.9pc in October from the prior month to 284,000mt, but production remained 9.7pc below the levels in the same prior-year period.
That said, Davis Index estimates that local pig iron production should gradually recover to year-ago volumes once Asturias’ BF A ramps up output to its minimum operational capacity.
Local crude steel output has fallen by 24.3pc to 8.93mn mt through the first 10 months of 2020 compared with 11.8mn mt during the same period the prior year.
Meanwhile, pig iron production has declined by 36.5pc to 2.25mn mt in January-October from 3.55mn mt through the first 10 months in 2019.