Gitnux/Report 2026

Ferrous Industry Statistics

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Ferrous Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

An editor sets the topic, the inclusion criteria, and the evaluation framework before research starts.

02Source Research

AI search agents locate sources and extract each figure together with the document it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The ferrous industry at a glance

The ferrous industry produced 1,849.4 million tonnes of crude steel in 2025, but faces weak demand growth, record capacity and intensifying pressure to decarbonize production.

1,849.4 Mt[15]
Global crude steel output, 2025
52.0%[15]
China share of output, 2025
0.9%[54]
Annual demand growth to 2030
745 Mt[54]
Projected excess capacity, 2028
Market size
Global crude steel production totaled 1,849.4 million tonnes in 2025. Asia produced 1,353.4 million tonnes, or approximately 73.2% of the world total.[15]
Forecast & CAGR
Global steel demand is projected to grow by approximately 0.9% annually through 2030. Excess capacity is projected to reach 745 million tonnes by 2028, while utilisation could fall from 76% in 2025 to 74% or less in 2028.[54]
Market share & regions
China accounted for approximately 52.0% of global crude steel production in 2025, with 960.8 million tonnes. India ranked second with 164.9 million tonnes, while the European Union produced 122.6 million tonnes.[15]
Segmentation
By steelmaking route, oxygen-based production represented 69.4% of reported 2025 output, electric production 30.3%, and other processes 0.3%. Electric production was dominant in regions such as Africa, the Middle East and North America, while oxygen-based production remained dominant in Asia.[15]
Key players & concentration
China Baowu Group was the largest steelmaker in 2025, producing 124.76 million tonnes, followed by ArcelorMittal at 63.43 million tonnes and Nippon Steel at 57.78 million tonnes. The top producer represented approximately 6.7% of global crude steel output, indicating that the global market remains fragmented despite large multinational and state-linked producers.[15]
Pricing
Argus reported a U.S. hot-rolled coil price of $1,135.25 per short ton on June 16, 2026, while cold-rolled coil was $1,325.25 per short ton. The price series illustrates the premium for higher-value processed flat steel products over hot-rolled coil.[64]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is concentrated in emerging economies, particularly India and parts of ASEAN, supported by infrastructure investment, industrialisation and new capacity. The main constraints are weak global demand, rising energy costs, supply-chain disruption and excess capacity; global capacity reached a record 2,445 million tonnes in 2025.[54]
Consumer behavior & competition
Steel demand is closely tied to construction, infrastructure, manufacturing and automotive activity; OECD expects overall demand growth to remain subdued at around 0.9% annually through 2030. Competition is increasingly shaped by production costs, access to low-carbon energy, trade policy and the ability to supply lower-emission steel.[54]
M&A
Tenaris announced in May 2026 that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a U.S.-based steel-related company from GLGH Steel, LLC. The transaction was presented as a way to expand Tenaris’s U.S. operations and product platform.[65]
Regulation
The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism entered its definitive regime on January 1, 2026. Iron and steel are among the covered carbon-intensive sectors, making embedded-emissions reporting and certificate costs increasingly important for exporters to the EU.[66]
Latest news
The OECD’s 2026 Steel Outlook reports that global steelmaking capacity reached a record 2,445 million tonnes in 2025 and projects excess capacity of 745 million tonnes by 2028. The outlook identifies subdued demand, subsidies and planned capacity additions of up to 139 million tonnes through 2028 as major market risks.[54]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Ferrous Industry

The leading companies in the ferrous industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

Nucor leads Gitnux's 2026 ferrous ranking with an Overall score of 9.1, with 2025 net sales of $32.494 billion and 33,300 employees. Tata Steel is the highest-ranked steel producer at 8.9, backed by 31.67 million tonnes of group steel production in FY2025-26.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in electric-arc steelmaking

    Nucor

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.1 · Electric-arc steelmaking

    Why we picked it: The electric-arc steelmaking mix is reflected in revenue scale and staffing: $32.494 billion net sales in 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit nucor.com ↗

  2. Leader in integrated steelmaking

    Tata Steel

    IN

    Ranked #2 · 8.9 · Integrated steelmaking

    Why we picked it: Integrated steelmaking and downstream operations are evidenced by 31.67 million tonnes of group production in FY2025-26.

    See in ranking ↓Visit tatasteel.com ↗

  3. Leader in steelmaking for tubes

    Techint Group

    LU

    Ranked #3 · 8.8 · Steelmaking for tubes

    Why we picked it: Steelmaking and engineered steel activities are supported by 16.30 million tonnes of crude steel production in 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit techint.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the ferrous industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Nucor

Electric-arc steelmaking · US

9.1
2

Tata Steel

Integrated steelmaking · IN

8.9
3

Techint Group

Steelmaking for tubes · LU

8.8
4

ArcelorMittal

Integrated steelmaking · LU

8.6
5

Gerdau

Long and special steel · BR

8.4
6

Hyundai Steel

Integrated steelmaking and automotive steel · KR

8.2
7

JSW Steel

Integrated steelmaking and value-added steel products · IN

8.2
8

JFE Holdings

Steelmaking, engineering and trading · JP

8.1
9

Cleveland-Cliffs

Flat-rolled steel, mining and automotive steel · US

8.1
10

Shougang Group

Integrated steelmaking and specialty steel · CN

7.3

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Top 10 companies in the ferrous industry. In Ferrous Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ferrous-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

Global crude steel production

Global crude steel production fell from 1,963 million tonnes in 2021 to 1,849 million tonnes in 2025.

1,963 million tonnes
Start
-1.48%
CAGR · 4y
1,849 million tonnes
Projected
20212025
source-verifiedworldsteel.org2025

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

We see heavy deployment of AI agents and automation use cases, including Tata Steel’s 300-plus agents and predictive-maintenance pilots approaching nearly 100% reliability.

AI in the ferrous industry

  • 860 AI, machine-learning, optimisation, deep-learning and autonomous-agent models were deployed globally by Tata Steel in FY2025-26.[1]
  • 75,000 ArcelorMittal employees enrolled in the company’s AI Readiness 2025 learning path.[2]
  • More than 300 AI agents were adopted by Tata Steel in FY2025-26 across invoice processing, audit, commercial intelligence and HR activities.[1]

Automation in the ferrous industry

  • 300-plus agents improved business-process automation at Tata Steel during FY2025-26.[1]
  • 1 AI-driven maintenance application was deployed by U.S. Steel to recommend solutions for mechanical equipment problems.[3]
  • 1 digital transformation programme at Tata Steel linked AI adoption with productivity, cost-efficiency and operational-resilience improvements.[1]

Digital Transformation in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across metals companies surveyed globally, 28% were developing a digital-transformation strategy in 2025.[4]
  • Across metals companies surveyed globally, 20% did not have a digital-transformation road map in 2025.[4]
  • U.S. mining firms recorded a 70.90% digitalization rate in the latest federal business-technology survey.[5]
  • Mining and metals executives ranked process intelligence, data mining and robotic-process automation as a digital priority for 56% of respondents in 2024.[6]
  • Across metals companies surveyed globally, 44% had a digital-transformation strategy and were actively taking steps forward in 2025.[4]

Technology Adoption in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among global mining and metals companies, 48% said artificial intelligence would have the greatest impact on increasing metal supplies over the next five years in 2023.[7]
  • Among global mining and metals companies, 17% identified autonomous steel production, such as autonomous vehicles, among the two technologies with the greatest expected supply impact in 2023.[7]
  • Among global mining and metals companies, 31% identified 5G networks as one of the two technologies most likely to increase metal supplies over the next five years in 2023.[7]
  • Among global mining and metals companies, 21% identified technologies that enhance recovery from recycled materials as a leading supply-enabling technology in 2023.[7]
  • Nevada mining association members reported 40.4% adoption of cloud computing, 35.3% adoption of encryption and cybersecurity, and 33.8% adoption of IoT and connected devices in 2021.[8]

Cloud Computing in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • U.S. mining businesses reported a 37.05% cloud-computing adoption rate in the federal business-technology survey.[5]
  • Global mining executives said high-power computing and cloud would affect their businesses within one year for 52.6% of respondents in the Mining Journal survey.[9]
  • Mining executives identified cloud adoption as a digital priority for 12% of respondents planning investments over the next one to two years in 2024.[6]
  • Global mining executives expected high-power computing and cloud to affect their businesses within five to ten years for 92.2% of respondents.[9]

Big Data in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Global mining and metals companies ranked data analytics among the two technologies most likely to increase metal supplies, with 42% selecting it in 2023.[7]
  • Mining executives expected big data and predictive analytics to affect their businesses within five to ten years for 95.7% of respondents.[9]
  • Mining executives said big data and predictive analytics could affect their businesses within one year for 40.5% of respondents in the Mining Journal survey.[9]
  • Chilean mining companies reported that 7.52% analyzed large volumes of data from sensors or smart devices in the sectoral Industry 4.0 study.[10]
  • Chilean mining companies reported that 9.02% performed big-data analysis in the sectoral Industry 4.0 study.[10]

Blockchain in the ferrous industry

  • 60% to 88% was the modelled increase in verified scrap reuse under a blockchain-enabled Tata Steel scenario.[11]
  • 3.0 million tonnes of CO2 per year was the modelled embodied-carbon reduction from the blockchain-enabled circular-steel scenario.[11]
  • 2 companies—RHI Magnesita and Gerdau—launched the Refrac Chain blockchain project for refractory-process traceability in 2021.[12]
  • 8.0 million tonnes was the assumed annual scrap throughput used in the blockchain-enabled circular-steel scenario.[11]
  • 42% to 98% was the modelled increase in steel-supply-chain traceability coverage under a blockchain-enabled Tata Steel scenario.[11]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Steel operators report KPI standards, dashboards, and predictive-maintenance progress; data governance issues still show up in the reported shares lacking usable real-time access.

Business intelligence in the ferrous industry

  • 98% of key data and KPI-definition standards were completed across major Tata Steel Indian units in financial year 2025–26.[1]
  • 6 years was Tata Steel’s reported tenure as a Gartner Digital Execution Advanced Leader in the 2026 results presentation.[1]
  • 15 years of historical data were available to thyssenkrupp Steel for training new AI models, reported in 2025.[13]
  • 1,500-plus dashboards were used by Tata Steel to provide data visualisation for decision-making in the reported digital-transformation programme.[14]
  • 78% of Tata Steel’s steel production came from World Economic Forum Lighthouse sites in financial year 2025–26.[1]
  • Data-driven AI systems targeted 10–15% improvements in yield and speed at Tata Steel, according to the reported transformation programme.[14]

Data analytics in the ferrous industry

  • INR 13 million of financial loss was recorded at Tata Steel in 2019 from process-safety equipment failures or process deviations.[15]
  • 2,250 tonnes of production loss were recorded at Tata Steel in 2019 from process-safety equipment failures or deviations.[15]
  • 8 process incidents were recorded at Tata Steel in 2020 after digitalisation of process-safety performance indicators.[15]
  • 23 process incidents were recorded at Tata Steel in 2019 before digitalisation of process-safety performance indicators.[15]
  • 600 tonnes of production loss were recorded at Tata Steel in 2020 after digitalisation of process-safety indicators.[15]
  • Nearly 100% reliability was approached by ArcelorMittal’s predictive-maintenance platform in pilot operations, according to the company’s reported results.[16]

Data Quality in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 30% rated unmanaged historical data as a significant data-management challenge in 2023.[17]
  • Across mining respondents globally, 33% said they lacked the necessary information to make data-driven decisions in 2023.[17]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 50% expressed high confidence in their organisation’s ability to manage data quality in 2023.[17]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 30% identified real-time access to datasets in a usable format as their biggest collaboration challenge in 2023.[17]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 36% identified knowing they had the most current and best-quality data as their biggest collaboration challenge in 2023.[17]

Data Governance in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 14% said reporting tools showing who accessed or edited data were their biggest collaboration challenge in 2023.[17]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 29% said a single source of truth was the most important expected outcome from resolving data-management issues in 2023.[18]
  • Across geoprofessionals without an established framework globally, 56% planned to obtain one within three years in 2023.[17]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 45% reported having an established data chain of custody in 2023.[17]
  • Across geoprofessionals globally, 30% reported having an established data-management framework in 2023.[17]

KPIs in the ferrous industry

  • 11.44% of the workforce were women at participating steel companies and associations worldwide in 2025.[15]
  • 14.06% of board members were women at participating steel companies and associations worldwide in 2025.[15]
  • 79.72% of the steel supply chain consisted of active input-material suppliers assessed by participating organisations in 2025.[15]
  • 6.77 training days per employee was reported by participating steel companies and associations worldwide in 2025.[15]
  • 100.68% of revenue was distributed to society as economic value by participating steel companies and associations worldwide in 2025.[15]
  • 0.68 injuries per million hours worked was the 2025 lost-time injury frequency rate reported by participating steel companies and associations worldwide.[15]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Industry scale and output tracking dominate, alongside capacity and transaction risk signals such as projected excess capacity of 745 Mt by 2028.

Growth in the ferrous industry

  • $18.734 billion was Nucor’s 2024 external sales from steel mills.[19]
  • $1.915 billion was Nucor’s 2024 external sales from raw materials.[19]
  • 24.767 million tons were shipped to outside customers by Nucor in 2024.[19]
  • 1,766.8 million tonnes of crude steel were produced globally in 2024.[15]
  • 1,849.4 million tonnes of crude steel were produced globally in 2025.[15]
  • 71.5 million tonnes was ArcelorMittal’s reported crude steel production in the company’s corporate profile.[20]

Differentiation in the ferrous industry

  • $35.376 billion was ArcelorMittal’s 2024 sales of flat products.[2]
  • $1.748 billion was ArcelorMittal’s 2024 sales of tubular products.[2]
  • $4.652 billion was U.S. Steel’s 2024 net sales of coated sheets.[19]
  • $13.386 billion was ArcelorMittal’s 2024 sales of long products.[2]

Mergers and acquisitions in the ferrous industry

  • $14.9 billion was the announced value of Nippon Steel’s proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel in December 2023.[21]
  • 184 metal and steel-sector deals were announced in 2024, according to Mergermarket data reported by ION Analytics.[22]
  • 86 million tons was Nippon Steel’s expected annual crude-steel production capacity after acquiring U.S. Steel.[21]
  • 100% of AK Steel was acquired by Cleveland-Cliffs in March 2020, according to the steel acquisitions database.[23]
  • $24.2 billion was the announced 2024 deal value for the metal and steel sector, according to Mergermarket data.[22]
  • $15 billion was the reported value of Nippon Steel’s completed takeover of U.S. Steel in 2025.[21]

Strategic partnerships in the ferrous industry

  • 8% was the maximum share of Ryerson’s 2024 sales represented by any single customer, including subcontractors.[24]
  • 3.5 million tons of coke were sold by SunCoke Energy under long-term take-or-pay contracts to two primary U.S. customers in 2024.[19]
  • $1.237 billion was SunCoke Energy’s 2024 revenue from Cliffs Steel.[19]
  • $1.183 billion was SunCoke Energy’s revenue from Cliffs Steel in 2022 under the companies’ customer relationship.[19]
  • $1.349 billion was SunCoke Energy’s revenue from Cliffs Steel in 2023 under the companies’ customer relationship.[19]
  • 63.9% of SunCoke Energy’s 2024 sales and other operating revenue came from Cliffs Steel under its customer relationship.[19]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce reporting focuses on participation and training; Tata Steel records 74% employee participation in its Your Voice survey.

Hiring in the ferrous industry

  • 885 female hires were reported by Tata Steel in the second year shown in its ESG indicators series.[1]
  • 395 female hires were reported by Tata Steel in the earliest year shown in its ESG indicators series.[1]
  • 354 female hires were reported by Tata Steel in the latest year shown in its ESG indicators series.[1]
  • 440 female hires were reported by Tata Steel in the fourth year shown in its ESG indicators series.[1]
  • 892 female hires were reported by Tata Steel in the third year shown in its ESG indicators series.[1]

Employee retention in the ferrous industry

  • 74% employee participation was recorded in Tata Steel’s Your Voice survey.[15]
  • 300-plus employees became accredited Mental Health First Aiders in Tata Steel’s workforce programme.[15]
  • 258 ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih veterans had successfully resumed work after military service, according to the 2026 worldsteel award case study.[2]
  • 30% of leaders completed caring-conversation training in Tata Steel’s employee-support programme.[15]
  • 97% graduate-programme retention was achieved in the Tata Steel case recognised by worldsteel in 2026.[15]

Remote Work in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across Chilean mining and supplier companies, remote work covered 8.9% of extraction workers, 10.5% of processing workers, and 9.8% of maintenance workers, according to a survey referring to 2020.[25]
  • 100% of surveyed large-scale mining companies in Chile adopted virtual work in administration and support areas during the COVID-19 period, according to a survey referring to 2020.[25]
  • Across Chilean mining and supplier companies, 57.1% expected to maintain remote work in some positions after the pandemic, according to a survey referring to 2020.[25]
  • Across Chilean mining and supplier companies, 55.6% of mining companies reported applying remote work during the pandemic, according to a survey referring to 2020.[25]
  • In the U.S. mining industry, about 16% of workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[26]

Hybrid Work in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 76% of mining, quarrying, and oil-and-gas workers surveyed globally considered hybrid or remote work in an international relocation destination appealing in 2025.[27]
  • 3.4% of U.S. farming, fishing and forestry workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[26]
  • 2.4% of U.S. construction and extraction workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[26]
  • 16% of U.S. mining workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[26]

Upskilling in the ferrous industry

  • 6.77 training days per employee were reported by the global steel industry in 2024.[15]
  • 700 learning paths were available through JSW Steel’s Learning Academy in FY2023-24.[28]
  • 11 months was the duration of JSW Steel Coated Products’ smart-manufacturing programme with BITS Pilani.[28]
  • Nearly 1,000 newly graduated engineers entered JSW Steel’s HMM Spark digital-learning journey.[28]
  • 4 AI-readiness learning modules were offered by ArcelorMittal in 2025.[2]

Employee Engagement in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across approximately 25 mining and metals organizations, 88% of employees agreed that they understood how their work contributed to company goals in a benchmark collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[29]
  • Across approximately 25 mining and metals organizations, the median employee net promoter score was 4 in a Culture Amp benchmark collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[29]
  • Across approximately 25 mining and metals organizations, 67% of employees were engaged in a Culture Amp benchmark collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[29]
  • Across approximately 25 mining and metals organizations, 27% of employees disagreed that the company acted when someone was not delivering in their role in a benchmark collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[29]
  • At Mineral Resources Limited, 70% employee engagement was recorded in the FY2024 annual survey, three percentage points above the reported industry average of 67%.[30]

DEI in the ferrous industry

  • 11.44% of the global steel industry’s workforce were women in 2024.[15]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Customer experience in the ferrous industry

  • 92.64% was Chongqing Iron & Steel’s customer-satisfaction result in 2025 in China.[31]
  • 4.36 out of 7 was Jindal Steel’s Customer Satisfaction Score in fiscal 2024–25 in India.[32]
  • 63% of Hyundai Steel’s 373 surveyed customer companies recorded satisfaction scores of at least 66.6 in 2023 across domestic and overseas markets.[33]
  • 86.1 was Tata Steel’s Customer Satisfaction Index in fiscal 2023–24 in India and its operating markets.[1]

Customer loyalty in the ferrous industry

  • 16% was the improvement in Gonvarri Industries’ non-conformities-per-million customer-quality indicator since its strategic plan began in 2022.[34]
  • 56 was Sandmeyer Steel Company’s Net Promoter Score for customer loyalty from October 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026, in the United States.[35]
  • 20 was Jindal Steel’s Net Promoter Score in fiscal 2024–25 in India.[32]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Digital reach and advertising exposure are quantified for AIST, with 116,000 average monthly page views recorded for its digital advertising properties in 2024.

Marketing in the ferrous industry

  • 16,773 copies was AIST’s average monthly circulation for Iron & Steel Technology in 2024.[36]
  • 3,050 companies were reached by AIST’s Iron & Steel Technology advertising program in 2024.[36]
  • 69 countries were reached by AIST’s Iron & Steel Technology advertising program in 2024.[36]
  • 16% of AIST members identified sales and marketing as their job function in 2024.[36]

Digital marketing in the ferrous industry

  • 116,000 average monthly page views were recorded for AIST’s digital advertising properties in 2024.[36]
  • 93% of surveyed industrial manufacturing and construction companies were experimenting with or implementing at least one digital customer-experience use case in 2024.[37]
  • 45,000 average monthly visitors were recorded for AIST’s digital advertising properties in 2024.[36]
  • 32,000 or more email contacts were held in AIST’s digital advertising database in 2024.[36]

Influencer Marketing in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • In 2026, Cory Rockwell’s underground-mining TikTok content had accumulated 5 million likes, providing a sector-specific audience benchmark for employee and operator advocacy.[38]
  • In 2026, Cory Rockwell’s most-watched underground-mining video reached 6.9 million views, demonstrating the potential scale of employee-led influencer content in mining.[38]
  • In 2026, underground mining influencer Cory Rockwell had 117,100 TikTok followers, using videos about explosives, haul trucking, bolting and underground work.[38]
  • In 2026, Colombian mining and metallurgy student Paula Mineria had 110,600 TikTok followers, illustrating the reach of mining-focused influencer content.[38]
  • In 2026, Paula Mineria’s mining-related TikTok content had generated 1.6 million likes across audiences in Colombia, Japan, Chile, Panama, Canada and the United States.[38]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational intensity and route mix show up with quantified energy use: 20.95 GJ of energy consumed per tonne of crude steel globally in 2024.

Process optimization in the ferrous industry

  • 20.95 GJ of energy was consumed per tonne of crude steel globally in 2024, down from about 50 GJ/t in the 1960s.[15]
  • 69.4% of global crude steel was produced through the basic oxygen furnace route in 2025, while 30.3% used electric furnaces.[15]
  • 96.08% of steel employees and contractors worked in environmental-management-system-registered facilities globally in 2024.[15]
  • 1,848.9 million tonnes of crude steel were produced by the countries covered in the World Steel Association process table in 2025.[15]
  • 81.7 million tonnes of crude steel were produced in the United States in 2025, with electric furnaces accounting for 71.3%.[15]

Operational efficiency in the ferrous industry

  • Steelmaking energy intensity fell to 20.95 GJ per tonne in 2024, representing a 58% reduction from approximately 50 GJ/t in the 1960s.[15]
  • Steel Dynamics shipped 12.7 million tons of steel in 2024, its second-highest annual volume.[39]
  • ArcelorMittal reported 2024 EBITDA of $7.1 billion, equivalent to $130 per tonne of steel.[16]
  • ArcelorMittal’s 2024 lost-time injury frequency rate was 0.70 incidents per million hours worked.[16]
  • Tata Steel’s India business was expected to generate ₹4,000 crore of FY2025-26 savings through operating KPIs, workforce productivity and supply-chain efficiency.[1]

Quality management in the ferrous industry

  • 97.4% of crude-steel output was covered by the World Steel Association’s country reporting in 2025, indicating broad production-data coverage.[15]
  • 100% of Belgium’s crude-steel output was represented in the World Steel Association’s 2025 production table.[15]
  • 98.0% of Germany’s crude-steel output was represented in the World Steel Association’s 2025 production table.[15]
  • 99.7% of United States crude-steel output was represented in the World Steel Association’s 2025 production table.[15]
  • 98.2% of South Korea’s crude-steel output was represented in the World Steel Association’s 2025 production table.[15]

Supply chain in the ferrous industry

  • ArcelorMittal produced 10.2 million tonnes of iron ore and shipped 6.3 million tonnes from AMMC and Liberia in the first quarter of 2024.[16]
  • Tata Steel’s United Kingdom business planned to reduce fixed costs from £995 million in FY2023-24 to £540 million in FY2025-26.[1]
  • Tata Steel Nederland targeted €500 million of FY2025-26 savings through volume growth and operational improvements.[1]
  • Cleveland-Cliffs identified approximately $120 million of annual cost synergies from optimization and procurement opportunities in 2024.[40]
  • Tata Steel targeted ₹11,500 crore of cost savings for FY2025-26, including procurement and supply-chain initiatives.[1]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the mining and metals sector (sector benchmark)

  • 54.0% was the average outsourcing rate among Chile’s medium-sized mining companies in 2019.[41]
  • 75.0% was the average outsourcing rate among Chile’s large-scale mining companies in 2019.[41]
  • 30% of mining and metals companies rated outsourcing more functions and capabilities to third-party specialists a top or significant cybersecurity talent priority in 2023.[42]
  • Contractors represented 54% of Queensland’s mining-industry workforce in fiscal year 2022–2023.[43]
  • 13.5% was the average outsourcing rate among Chile’s small-scale mining companies in 2019.[41]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

The price layer shows product premia, while financial figures tie margins and earnings to demand and cost pressures across major producers.

Pricing strategy in the ferrous industry

  • U.S. Steel reported $15.640 billion of net sales in 2024, down from $18.053 billion in 2023.[19]
  • Nucor’s average sales price per ton fell 10% in 2024 from 2023, while outside-customer shipments declined 2%.[44]
  • Nucor’s total average sales price decreased from $1,377 per ton in 2023 to $1,241 per ton in 2024.[45]
  • ArcelorMittal’s 2024 EBITDA was $130 per tonne of steel, reflecting regional and product diversification.[16]
  • Nucor’s average steel-mills selling price decreased from $1,084 per ton in 2023 to $1,013 per ton in 2024.[45]

Cost reduction in the ferrous industry

  • Tata Steel achieved approximately ₹6,600 crore of structural cost takeouts in FY2024-25.[1]
  • U.S. Steel’s 2024 restructuring and other charges were $8 million, down from $36 million in 2023.[19]
  • Tata Steel planned to reduce UK fixed costs by £455 million between FY2023-24 and FY2025-26.[1]
  • U.S. Steel’s 2024 cost of sales was $14.060 billion, down from $15.803 billion in 2023.[19]
  • Nucor’s 2024 average scrap and scrap-substitute cost fell to $394 per gross ton from $421 in 2023.[44]

Profitability in the ferrous industry

  • U.S. Steel reported $384 million of net earnings in 2024, compared with $895 million in 2023.[46]
  • Steel Dynamics’ consolidated operating income decreased $1.2 billion, or 38%, to $1.9 billion in 2024.[19]
  • Steel Dynamics reported $1.9 billion of operating income and $2.5 billion of adjusted EBITDA in 2024.[39]
  • Nucor reported $2.32 billion of full-year 2024 net earnings and $4.37 billion of EBITDA.[44]
  • Tata Steel reported consolidated FY2024-25 EBITDA of ₹25,802 crore, up from ₹23,402 crore in the previous year.[1]

Financial planning in the ferrous industry

  • U.S. Steel reported 2024 capital-related depreciation, depletion and amortization of $913 million.[19]
  • Tata Steel planned ₹11,500 crore of cost savings for FY2025-26, including ₹4,000 crore from India.[1]
  • Tata Steel’s FY2024-25 consolidated revenue was ₹2,18,543 crore.[1]
  • ArcelorMittal’s planned investment in a new plant was estimated at $0.9 billion, with expected annual EBITDA of $0.2 billion at full capacity.[16]
  • Steel Dynamics generated $1.8 billion of operating cash flow in 2024.[19]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Product-side reporting emphasizes AI platforms and recycling inputs, including 85% of steel estimated recycled at end of product life globally.

Product development in the ferrous industry

  • More than 950 AI models and agents were deployed across Tata Steel’s value chain in financial year 2025–26.[1]
  • 6 plants were selected for accelerated digital innovation covering flat and long steel products across diverse geographies and production lines in 2025.[2]
  • 78% of Tata Steel’s production came from World Economic Forum Lighthouse sites in IJmuiden, Kalinganagar and Jamshedpur in financial year 2025–26.[1]
  • Around 100 employees supported ArcelorMittal’s global AI activities, including product development, predictive maintenance and quality control, in 2025.[16]
  • 8.31% of revenue was invested in new processes and products by reporting steel companies worldwide in 2025.[15]

Product lifecycle in the ferrous industry

  • 92.79% of raw materials were converted into steel products or co-products by reporting steel companies worldwide in 2025.[15]
  • About 85% of steel was estimated to be recycled at the end of product life globally, according to worldsteel lifecycle guidance.[15]
  • 1,162,539 tonnes of secondary reused or recycled components, intermediary products and materials were used by voestalpine in manufacturing in financial year 2025–26.[47]
  • 11% of materials used in voestalpine manufacturing were recycled materials in financial year 2025–26.[47]
  • More than 80% of steel production by product category was represented by worldsteel lifecycle-thinking products and datasets.[15]

After-sales in the ferrous industry

  • 82 was the Net Promoter Score for Tata Steel’s Aashiyana homebuilder platform in financial year 2025–26.[1]
  • 90% of Tata Steel customer complaints were routed through a unified GenAI-enabled grievance platform in financial year 2025–26.[1]
  • 4.29 out of 5 was Jindal Steel’s customer-satisfaction score in financial year 2023–24.[32]
  • More than 10,000 sellers were onboarded to Tata Steel’s Aashiyana digital customer platform in financial year 2025–26.[1]
  • More than 4,500 small and medium-sized enterprises used Tata Steel’s DigECA platform to improve order efficiency in financial year 2025–26.[1]

Value proposition in the ferrous industry

  • 56% of U.S. Steel Mini Mill sales were contract sales in 2024.[48]
  • 76% of U.S. Steel Flat-Rolled sales were contract sales in 2024, reflecting recurring customer and pricing arrangements.[48]
  • 50% of U.S. Steel Europe sales were contract sales in 2024.[48]
  • 82% of U.S. Steel Tubular sales were contract sales in 2024.[48]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability metrics are expressed in emissions intensity and coverage, including 1.92 tonnes of CO2 emitted per tonne of crude steel globally in 2024.

Sustainability in the ferrous industry

  • 96.08% of employees and contractors worked in facilities with registered environmental management systems in 2024.[15]
  • 0.64 kilograms of SOₓ were emitted per tonne of crude steel globally in 2024.[15]
  • 20.95 GJ of energy were consumed per tonne of crude steel globally in 2024.[15]
  • 1.94% of total steel-industry energy consumption came from renewable energy in 2024.[15]
  • 0.66 kilograms of NOₓ were emitted per tonne of crude steel globally in 2024.[15]

ESG in the ferrous industry

  • 34 steel organizations were recognized as World Steel Association Sustainability Charter members in 2025.[15]
  • 0.78 injuries per million hours worked were recorded by the global steel industry in 2023.[15]
  • 98.1% of Industeel managers and designated functions were trained on anti-corruption directives in 2024.[49]
  • 14.06% of steel-industry board members were women globally in 2024.[15]
  • 82% of Industeel employees had completed Code of Ethics training in 2024.[49]

Ethics in the ferrous industry

  • 91.8% of Industeel managers and designated functions were trained on data-protection requirements in 2024.[49]
  • 98.7% of Industeel managers and designated functions were trained on insider-trading rules in 2024.[49]
  • 238 Industeel employees were required to declare conflicts of interest and all 238 made declarations in 2024.[49]
  • 98.0% of Industeel managers and designated functions were trained on economic-sanctions directives in 2024.[49]
  • 97.8% of Industeel managers and designated functions were trained on antitrust rules in 2024.[49]

CSR in the ferrous industry

  • 8.98 training days per employee were reported by the global steel industry in 2023.[15]
  • 22.4 million net tons was U.S. Steel’s annual raw-steelmaking capability reported in its diversity and inclusion disclosure.[48]
  • 12 steel organizations were recognized as Sustainability Champions in the World Steel Association’s 2024 program.[15]
  • 8.22 training days per employee were reported by the global steel industry in 2022.[15]
  • More than 25 training hours per employee were completed at Worthington Steel in fiscal 2024.[50]

Circular economy in the ferrous industry

  • 92.79% of steel-industry raw materials were converted into products or co-products globally in 2024.[15]
  • 70% of global steel production used the blast-furnace/basic-oxygen-furnace route in 2025.[51]
  • 4% was the decrease in U.S. iron and steel scrap purchase value between 2023 and 2024.[52]
  • Five years of ferrous recycling data from 2020 through 2024 were covered in the 16th edition of World Steel Recycling in Figures.[53]
  • 0.7 tonnes of CO₂ were emitted on average per tonne of steel from scrap-intensive electric-arc-furnace production.[54]

Carbon footprint in the ferrous industry

  • 1,886 million tonnes of steel were produced globally in 2024.[15]
  • 75% of global steel-sector emissions in 2024 were direct emissions.[15]
  • 4.43 billion tonnes of CO₂e were emitted by the global steel industry in 2023 in an international intensity assessment.[55]
  • 1.92 tonnes of CO₂ were emitted per tonne of crude steel globally in 2024.[15]
  • 4.1 billion tonnes of CO₂e were emitted by the global steel sector in 2024.[15]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Trade and capacity context are linked through export intensity, with 456.5 million tonnes of steel products exported globally in 2025 (26.4% of world production).

Globalization in the ferrous industry

  • 1,849.4 million tonnes of crude steel were produced worldwide in 2025, according to the World Steel Association.[15]
  • 456.5 million tonnes of steel products were exported globally in 2025, representing 26.4% of world steel production.[15]
  • 118 million tonnes of steel were exported by China in 2024, a 24% year-on-year increase, according to the OECD.[54]
  • 42.8 million tonnes of steel were imported by the European Union in 2024, the largest regional import volume listed.[15]
  • €73.1 billion of iron and steel were imported by the European Union in 2024.[61]

Cultural adaptation in the ferrous industry

  • 9 European countries hosted ArcelorMittal Europe steel-making operations in its 2024 fact book.[62]
  • 57,027 people were employed by ArcelorMittal Europe, according to the company’s regional overview.[62]
  • Over 5.77 million lives were reached by Tata Steel Foundation social initiatives across India and selected European and Asian countries in FY2024–25.[1]
  • More than 62,000 people were employed by ArcelorMittal Europe across nine European countries in 2024.[62]
  • 6 Indian states were covered by Tata Steel Foundation initiatives in FY2024–25.[1]

Supplier management in the ferrous industry

  • Nucor Steel supplied a significant part of Tenaris’s U.S. steel-coil requirements under a long-term agreement during 2024.[19]
  • 3.5 million tons of coke were sold under long-term take-or-pay contracts to two primary U.S. steel customers in 2024.[19]
  • 63.9% of SunCoke Energy’s 2024 sales and other operating revenue came from Cliffs Steel.[19]
  • Over 1,100 critical suppliers were regularly assessed by Tata Steel on health, safety, human rights, environment and ethics in FY2024–25.[1]
  • 20% of that processor’s fiscal-2024 steel purchases were cold-rolled steel.[63]

Stakeholder management in the ferrous industry

  • 3 countries outside India—the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Thailand—were included in Tata Steel’s community footprint in FY2024–25.[1]
  • More than 1,100 critical suppliers were assessed by Tata Steel on responsible-business criteria in FY2024–25.[1]
  • 6 Indian states received Tata Steel Foundation programs in FY2024–25.[1]
  • 62,000-plus employees were covered by ArcelorMittal Europe’s 2024 regional workforce footprint.[62]
  • Over 5.77 million people were impacted by Tata Steel Foundation social initiatives in FY2024–25.[1]

Key questions about the ferrous industry

What is the ferrous industry market size in 2025?
Global crude steel output totaled 1,849.4 million tonnes in 2025.
How fast is demand expected to grow through 2030?
Annual demand growth to 2030 is projected at 0.9%.
Which companies lead the ferrous industry?
Nucor leads Gitnux's 2026 ferrous ranking with an Overall score of 9.1, with 2025 net sales of $32.494 billion and 33,300 employees. Tata Steel is the highest-ranked steel producer at 8.9, backed by 31.67 million tonnes of group steel production in FY2025-26.
Where is technology shifting in steel production?
Oxygen-based production represented 69.4% of 2025 output, while electric production represented 30.3%.
How concentrated is global steel production?
China Baowu Group produced 124.76 million tonnes in 2025, and the top producer represented about 6.7% of global crude steel output.
What pricing reference is used for U.S. flat products in 2026?
Argus reported a U.S. hot-rolled coil price of $1,135.25 per short ton on June 16, 2026, and cold-rolled coil at $1,325.25 per short ton.
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Ferrous Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ferrous-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Ferrous Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 11 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/ferrous-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Ferrous Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ferrous-industry-statistics.

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