ArcelorMittal has maintained its position as the world's largest crude steel producer for the third year running in 2008 after World Steel data showed production at the Luxembourg listed company totaled 101.6 million tonnes in 2008, nearly three times as much as its closest rival Nippon Steel.

According to World Steel, Nippon Steel produced 37.5 million tonnes crude steel in 2008, putting it in second place, unchanged versus the previous year. Compared with 2007, Baosteel Group climbed three places to third with 35.4 million tonnes of crude steel. In 2007, Baosteel produced 28.6 million tonnes of crude steel.

China's Hebei Steel held on to its fourth place position, with 33.3 million tonnes of crude steel. Following a production decrease to 32.4 million tonnes of crude steel from 34 million tonnes, Japan's JFE dropped two places to fifth. Meanwhile, South Korea's POSCO slipped one place to sixth with 31.7 million tonnes of crude steel. Wuhan Steel jumped four places to seventh after crude steel production rose to 27.7 million tonnes in 2008 from 20.2 million tonnes the previous year.

India's TATA Steel and China's Shandong Steel each slipped one place to eighth and ninth place, with crude steel production at 24.4 million tonnes and 23.8 million tonnes, respectively. US Steel maintained its tenth place position, unchanged versus a year earlier, with 23.2 million tonnes crude steel produced.

(Sourced from www.worldsteel.org)