European Steel Market Signals Recovery: Feralpi Investments Drive Optimism Amidst Energy Challenges

Europe’s steel market shows signs of recovery, particularly in Germany, fueled by new investments and anticipated government support. The positive sentiment is supported by the news “Feralpi foresees Germany recovery, launches FERGreen brand” and “Feralpi Stahl launches new steel rolling mill in Riesa for €220 million“, signalling confidence in the region’s future. While a direct link to the provided activity data is not explicitly established, these investments suggest increased future activity.

Recent aggregated plant activity levels in Europe are shown below.

Bar chart and satellite map of steel production activity in Europe

The activity data reveals consistently high activity levels at SN MAIA Siderurgia Nacional in Portugal, peaking at 92.0% in May 2025. In contrast, Alfa Acciai Brescia in Italy has remained relatively stable between 41.0% and 44.0%. Riva Alpa Gargenville in France shows a gradual increase, reaching 55.0% in May 2025. The mean steelplant activity in Europe is not representative due to corrupted data, preventing meaningful comparison. No direct connection between plant-specific news and these trends can be established based on the provided information.

SN MAIA Siderurgia Nacional steel plant, located in Porto, Portugal, is an EAF-based facility with a crude steel capacity of 600ktpa, specializing in rebar production and holding a Responsible Steel Certification. The plant exhibits high activity throughout the observed period, reaching 92.0% in May 2025. The news articles don’t directly mention SN MAIA, so a connection to the reported developments cannot be established.

Alfa Acciai Brescia steel plant, situated in the Province of Brescia, Italy, operates two EAFs with a total crude steel capacity of 1700ktpa, producing billets and rebar and holding both ISO14001 and Responsible Steel certifications. Its activity has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 41.0% and 44.0%. The news articles reference stable consumption levels in Italy due to infrastructure projects (“Feralpi foresees Germany recovery, launches FERGreen brand”); however, a direct link between this general trend and the plant’s specific activity level cannot be definitively made.

Riva Alpa Gargenville steel plant, located in Île-de-France, France, utilizes a single 75-tonne EAF with a crude steel capacity of 700ktpa and is Responsible Steel certified, producing billets and rebar. The plant’s activity shows a gradual increase, reaching 55.0% in May 2025. A direct link to specific news articles cannot be established.

Evaluated Market Implications:

Based on the news articles “Feralpi Stahl launches new steel rolling mill in Riesa for €220 million”, the launch of the new mill could potentially lead to localized supply adjustments in the rebar market in Germany.

  • Recommended Procurement Action: Steel buyers focused on rebar in the German and surrounding markets should closely monitor Feralpi Stahl’s output and pricing strategies from the Riesa mill. Consider negotiating contracts that account for the potential supply increase and competitive pricing, especially given the mill’s focus on green production.