I
Gray Iron
n 2012, a year after world casting production exceeded pre-2008 levels, global produc- tion increased to more than 100 million metric tons, a 2.3% increase from 2011, accord- ing to this year’s MODERN CASTING Census of World Casting Production. Following
a sharp decline in total production in 2009, the industry rebounded over two years to prerecession figures. Te 2012 production total represents a continued upward trend.
Of the 37 countries that provided census data, 20 reported a contraction in annual volumes for 2012. Bosnia and Herzegovina, after posting the greatest amount of growth in last year’s census, saw its production total fall by 50.1%. Brazil experienced the largest contraction among the top producing countries with a 16.9% drop in overall volume in 2012. Brazil, Finland, Italy, Norway, Pakistan, South Africa, Swit- zerland and Taiwan reported decreases in the double digits. While only 11 countries reported
growth, the world’s two largest casting producers, China and the United States, buoyed global output by increasing production by 1.2 million metric tons and 2.8 million metric tons, respectively. Belgium (63.5%, an additional 29,200 metric tons) and the Ukraine (53.2%, an increase of 532,000) posted the largest increases in relative production compared to the year prior. China remained far and away the
world’s largest producer with a total volume of 42.5 million metric tons, a total of 43% of global production. Te U.S., after retaking the second spot in the world’s top 10 from India in 2011, strengthened its position by producting 12.8 million metric tons, a 28% increase. Following In- dia’s 9.3 million, spots 4 through 8 remained in place, with Japan’s 5.3 million, Germany’s 5.2 million,
World Totals (metric tons)
Ductile Iron
Malleable Iron
Steel 45,700,081 24,737,215 1,270,025 11,133,851
Copper Base
Aluminum Magnesium Zinc 1,712,969 13,968,464 223,041 576,158 Other Nonferrous Total 476,783 99,798,587 Jan/Feb 2014 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | 27
PRODUCTION PER PLANT
Only two of the top 10 nations reported growth in production per plant (calculated as total tonnage divided by number of plants) in 2012. The U.S. continued to increase production per plant, by 28%, in 2012 with Korea improving 3%.
Russia’s 4.3 million, Brazil’s 2.9 mil- lion and Korea’s 2.4 million metric tons. France remained in the top 10, but its total production dropped by 12%. Te top 10 nations produced 88% of the world’s castings, the same total as the previous three years. The U.S. continued to improve
in its productivity figures, with an increase of 26% to 6,380 metric tons per facility. Germany, the world leader in per plant production, experienced a decrease of 315 metric tons per plant, a 3.5% decline. China and India, the two countries with the greatest number of facilities, reported a 3% gain and 6.5% decline, respectively. Productivity is calculated as total tonnage divided by the num- ber of plants reported.
Total production of iron increased,
with gray iron growing 0.3% and duc- tile iron 1.6%, while malleable iron fell 7.7%. Steel improved 9.2%, aluminum 6.5% and magnesium 24.6%. Te data reported in the 47th Census of World Casting Produc- tion is supplied by each nation’s metalcasting association or similar representatives. Countries that did not participate this year were Croa- tia, Denmark, Mexico, Mongolia, Slovakia and Russia. Tese countries remain listed according to the last year they participated. Ukraine has returned to the list,
providing results updated from 2009. The country has increased its overall output from 1 million metric tons in 2009 to 1.5 million in 2012.
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