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German Steel Market Surges: Thyssenkrupp Modernization Drives Positive Outlook

Germany’s steel market shows strong positive signals, primarily driven by Thyssenkrupp’s modernization efforts in Duisburg. Activity at Thyssenkrupp Steel Duisburg reflects the progress described in “Thyssenkrupp launches a new continuous casting machine,” “Thyssenkrupp starts trial production at new continuous slab caster,” and “The first slabs were poured in Duisburg: a new era of Thyssenkrupp steel production has begun,” all related to the new continuous casting machine No. 4 (SGA 4). Activity levels at Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant and AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke Dillingen steel plant do not have directly corresponding news articles that clearly relate to their observed satellite activity.

Bar chart and satellite map of steel production activity in Germany

Overall steel plant activity in Germany increased significantly from December 2024 (11%) to May 2025 (37%) before decreasing to 24% in June 2025. ThyssenKrupp Steel Duisburg maintained consistently high activity, fluctuating between 40% and 43% from January to June 2025. Salzgitter Flachstahl experienced a decline from 25% in January to 16% in June. AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke Dillingen showed steadily increasing activity, reaching 47% in May and June, the highest level among the observed plants.

ThyssenKrupp Steel Duisburg steel plant: With a crude steel capacity of 13 million tonnes per annum (ttpa) via the BOF process, ThyssenKrupp Steel Duisburg focuses on high-quality flat steel products for automotive and construction. Satellite data shows a consistent activity level around 40% in 2025, corroborating the start of trial operations with the new continuous casting machine No. 4 (SGA 4), as reported in “Thyssenkrupp launches a new continuous casting machine,” “Thyssenkrupp starts trial production at new continuous slab caster,” and “The first slabs were poured in Duisburg: a new era of Thyssenkrupp steel production has begun.” These articles describe improved efficiency and flexibility that can be directly associated with stable plant activity.

Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant: Salzgitter Flachstahl, with a crude steel capacity of 5.2 million ttpa via BOF, produces hot and cold-rolled flat steel primarily for the automotive and construction sectors. The plant’s activity has decreased from 25% in January to 16% in June. There are no directly associated news articles to explain this decline. Salzgitter is transitioning to hydrogen-based steel by 2050, but there is no indication that this transition is related to the recent activity decline, and therefore no explicit connection can be established.

AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke Dillingen steel plant: AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke Dillingen, with a crude steel capacity of 2.76 million ttpa via BOF, specializes in heavy plate products for diverse applications, including energy and infrastructure. Its activity increased steadily, reaching 47% in May and June. There are no directly associated news articles to explain this increase, and therefore no explicit connection can be established.

Based on observed activity levels and recent news:

  • Potential Supply Disruptions: The modernization efforts at ThyssenKrupp Duisburg, while ultimately positive, may cause short-term fluctuations in the supply of specific high-grade flat steel products during the commissioning phase of the new continuous casting machine. The decline in activity at Salzgitter Flachstahl could also signal a potential localized supply constraint, although without further corroborating information, this conclusion is speculative.
  • Recommended Procurement Actions:
    • Steel Buyers: Given the ThyssenKrupp Duisburg modernization, buyers relying on very specific grades of flat steel should proactively communicate with ThyssenKrupp to understand potential short-term availability changes or delays and consider diversifying their supplier base as a precautionary measure.
    • Market Analysts: Closely monitor Salzgitter Flachstahl’s activity and seek additional information regarding the reasons for the recent decline. If the decline continues in the next reporting period, it warrants further investigation into potential market effects.