5. Future prospects

The situation we've just described clearly shows that "classic" integrated plants (i.e., in comparison with other integrated plants no longer based on either the blast furnace or the oxygen converter) are now facing major competition, particularly in the "old industrial countries", and are in a defensive position that is leading them to find new avenues for their development.

Conversely, in emerging countries such as the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China), these factories are expanding, particularly, as we know, in China. To analyze this situation and try to discern future prospects, we will successively :

• analyze this defensive situation, especially in the "old industrial countries";

• see their offensive position symmetrically elsewhere;

• recall...