Steel production in the UK - Statistics & Facts

The industrialization of steel production originated in the United Kingdom (UK) and was part of a variety of new manufacturing processes that helmed the Industrial Revolution. Even though the UK was a leader in steel fabrication in the early 19th century, its role in the global market declined in recent years.

Steel Production in the UK: A Historical Comparision

In 2021, nearly two billion metric tons of crude steel were produced worldwide. That year, China accounted for over half of all steel produced that year, while the EU27 made up less than 10 percent of the market. The UK steel sector has recently encountered several difficulties, such as a decline in demand for steel, competition from abroad, and rising energy costs. Since the financial crash in 2009, production in the UK has dropped to 7.2 million tons in 2021, despite some increases recorded in 2013 and 2014. Also, in 2021, the amount of pig iron manufactured totaled roughly 5.8 million metric tons, having decreased from a peak of 9.7 million tons produced in 2014. Fabrication of metals has seen similar developments over the past few years. As of 2021, the United Kingdom did not register any production number of wire rods and hot rolled steel plates. With production figures declining and more energy-efficient means introduced, the iron and steel industry consumed only 2,150 gigawatt hours of electricity that same year, compared to 6,348 gigawatt hours used in 2000.

British Steel Trade

Brexit has a significant impact on the British steel industry since it mostly relies on the exports. As of 2021, pig iron exports decreased by 73 percent year-on-year, and scrap metal sales to other countries came to nearly eight million tons in 2021, which was 746,000 less than the peak of 8.8 million metric tons recorded in the previous year. In order to support the steel industry in the country after Brexit, the British government imposed temporary tariff safeguards and investment in research and development. However, the long-term effects of these measures remain uncertain. Regarding imports, 8.12 million tons of iron ore were brought into the country in 2021, an increase compared to the previous year. That same year, pig iron imports also increased, amounting to 38,000 metric tons.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Mar 29, 2023

Key insights

Global crude steel production
1.88bn mt
ArcelorMittal's sales revenue
53.3bn USD
Crude steel production in the UK
7.2m mt
Get more insights

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Annual volume of crude steel produced in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2009 to 2021 (in 1,000 metric tons)

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