In 2010, as the world economy recovered, global crude steel output reached 1.414 billion mt, up 15 percent year on year. The capacity utilization rates of major steelmakers recovered, but their output levels were still lower than the levels recorded before the start of the financial crisis. In 2010, the aggregate crude steel output of the world's top 20 steelmakers amounted to 612 million mt, accounting for 43 percent of the total global crude steel output.
The list of the world's top 20 steelmakers in terms of crude steel output for 2010 includes nine Chinese steelmakers, of which six rank in the top 10 while four rank in the top five.
ArcelorMittal remained the largest steelmaker in the world in terms of crude steel output. In 2010, its crude steel production reached 90.6 million mt, up 17.4 million mt compared to its 2009 volume, but still down on the 103 million mt recorded for 2008. Chinese steelmakers Hebei Iron and Steel Group, Baosteel, Anshan-Benxi Iron and Steel Group, Wuhan Iron and Steel Group (WISCO) ranked second, third, fourth and fifth respectively. South Korea's POSCO and Japanese steelmakers Nippon Steel Corp. and JFE were respectively ranked sixth, seventh and eighth. Meanwhile, Chinese steelmakers Shagang Group and Shougang Group were ninth and tenth in the list of top global steelmakers.