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Try the Free AI Search EngineEurope Steel Market: German Downturn, Italian Gains, and Plant-Level Activity Shifts
Europe’s steel market presents a mixed picture. Recent news highlights production decreases in Germany, as noted in “Germany reduced steel production by 10.1% y/y in April” and “German crude steel output down 11.9 percent in Jan-Apr“. Conversely, “Italy reduced steel production by 10.8% m/m in April” indicates a complex scenario of monthly decline coupled with year-on-year growth. While the news provides insights into national production trends, direct relationships to specific plant activity changes observed via satellite remain unconfirmed.
Observed activity data reveals several points.
* Average plant activity is difficult to interpret due to extreme outliers.
* Donetsksteel Metallurgical Plant shows relatively stable low activity, increasing from 12% in March to 16% in May.
* SIJ Acroni Jesenice steel plant displays higher activity than other plants, peaking in May at 62%.
* SSAB Raahe steel plant data only became available in March and shows consistently increasing activity.
Donetsksteel Metallurgical Plant
Donetsksteel Metallurgical Plant, located in Donetsk, Ukraine, operates with integrated (BF) processes, utilizing BF and EAF technologies for pig iron production with a BF capacity of 1500 ttpa. ResponsibleSteelCertification indicates a commitment to sustainability. Despite observed low activity levels, rising to 16% in May, no explicit link can be established with the broader market dynamics reported in “Global steel production fell by 6.3% m/m in April,” though regional conflict could be a factor.
SIJ Acroni Jesenice steel plant
SIJ Acroni Jesenice steel plant in Slovenia focuses on electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking with a capacity of 726 ttpa, producing flat rolled products for building, infrastructure, tools, and machinery. The plant demonstrates strong activity, peaking at 62% in May, significantly above the average. No direct connection to the news articles can be explicitly established. ISO50001 certification highlights energy management efforts, which may indirectly support consistent or increased production.
SSAB Raahe steel plant
SSAB Raahe steel plant in Finland, an integrated BF-BOF facility with a crude steel capacity of 2600 ttpa, produces hot rolled coils and billets. The plant’s activity shows a steady increase from 17% in March to 34% in May. Although SSAB plans to transition from BF-BOF to EAF production by 2030, no news articles directly explain the current activity increase. Its ISO14001 certification reflects environmental management efforts.
Evaluated Market Implications
Based on “Germany reduced steel production by 10.1% y/y in April” and “German crude steel output down 11.9 percent in Jan-Apr“, German steel buyers should anticipate potential supply constraints and monitor inventory levels closely, especially for flat rolled steel given the sales decrease reported in “Steel sales in Germany decreased by 5% in April, inventories decreased“. While Italian production showed a year-on-year increase, the month-on-month decrease highlighted in “Italy reduced steel production by 10.8% m/m in April” suggests potential short-term volatility. Procurement professionals should diversify their sourcing to mitigate risks associated with regional production declines. The increasing activity at SSAB Raahe could represent a potential alternative supply source, meriting further investigation.