The provided line graphs illustrate the trends in steel production and actual demand, measured in a million tonnes, within the UK steel industry throughout the year 2010. The data also includes information on the number of workers employed in this sector.
Overall, the year 2010 witnessed significant fluctuations in both steel production and demand. While production generally remained higher than demand for most of the year, there were periods where demand surged, leading to a narrower gap. A notable trend is the overall decline in both metrics towards the end of the year.
At the beginning of 2010, steel production stood at approximately 4,000 million tonnes, with actual demand slightly lower, over 2,000 million tonnes. Production experienced a sharp increase in February, reaching a peak of roughly 4,500 million tonnes, while demand also rose to about 2,500 million tonnes. Following this peak, production saw a moderate decrease in March and April, stabilizing over 4,200 million tonnes. Demand, however, continued to rise, reaching its highest point of approximately 3,000 million tonnes in April, indicating a growing gap between supply and demand.
From May to August, production levels fluctuated but generally remained above demand. Production peaked again in August at around 4,800 million tonnes, coinciding with a dip in demand to about 2,200 million tonnes. This divergence suggests a surplus in production during this period. However, the last quarter of the year showed a distinct downward trend for both metrics. Production fell significantly from September onwards, dropping to approximately 2,500 million tonnes by December. Similarly, demand also decreased, ending the year at around 1,500 million tonnes. This decline at the year’s end signifies a contraction in both the output and consumption of steel in the UK.