Global steel pipe production falls after 10 years of growth

According to data by the German steel pipes association, the year 2016 saw the global steel pipe output go down by 3% to 164 million tons worldwide. It was the first time the upward trend stopped, after 10 years continuous growth - with the exception of the crisis year 2009.
There was a markedly lower production in North America, the CIS and China. In comparison, European steel pipe producers did much better, increasing their output by 4% to 14 million tons.

The worldwide decrease in production is mainly attributable to the lower quantities of seamless steel pipes. The German Association sees the energy industry’s reticence to invest as the reason for the decrease in output observed for this type of pipes in all regions of the world. The drop against the previous year was particularly pronounced in the USA with 20%.
Another segment that was significantly affected is the one of large-diameter pipes (with an outer diameter exceeding 16”, corresponding to 406 millimetres). Producers posted an 8% decline worldwide, particularly in North America and the CIS, while the EU increased production by 6%.

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photo: Messe Düsseldorf/ctillmann