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Green Steel Demand Rises in Europe Amid Capacity Expansions, Belgium Faces Setbacks

Europe’s steel market shows positive sentiment, driven by demand for green steel and capacity expansions, although some decarbonization projects face headwinds. SSAB’s deal to supply fossil-free steel is spotlighted in “Sweden’s Vattenfall orders green steel from SSAB for hydroelectric dam“. ArcelorMittal’s modernization efforts are reflected in “ArcelorMittal Luxembourg SteelUp project advances to completion phase” and “The ArcelorMittal Luxembourg SteelUp project is nearing completion“, but contrasted by challenges described in “ArcelorMittal Belgium postpones climate project due to weak market“. No direct relationship between these news articles and recent satellite-observed plant activity changes can be explicitly established based on the provided information.

Here’s an overview of recent monthly activity trends:

Bar chart and satellite map of steel production activity in Europe

The mean steel plant activity in Europe fluctuated, peaking in July and August before decreasing in the following months. Emmenbrücke Swiss Steel’s activity shows a slight downward trend, decreasing from 66% in May to 61% in September and then recovering to 62% in October. Donelektrostal Shakhty steel plant experienced a continuous decline, dropping from 12% in May to only 1% in October. Voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace shows a gradual increase in activity, rising from 50% in May to 56% in October.

Emmenbrücke Swiss Steel, located in Luzern, Switzerland, operates an electric arc furnace (EAF). The observed activity declined slightly from 66% in May to 61% in September before recovering to 62% in October. No explicit connection can be established between the slight activity decrease and any news event from the provided article titles.

Donelektrostal Shakhty steel plant, based in the Rostov region, Russian Federation, is an EAF steel producer with a crude steel capacity of 1000 tonnes. Its activity sharply decreased from 12% in May to a mere 1% in October. No explicit connection can be established between the sharp activity decrease and any news event from the provided article titles.

Voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace, located in Kapfenberg, Austria, also utilizes EAF technology. The plant’s activity saw a steady increase from 50% in May to 56% in October. No explicit connection can be established between the increased activity and any news event from the provided article titles.

The postponement of ArcelorMittal Belgium’s decarbonization project, as reported in “ArcelorMittal Belgium postpones climate project due to weak market“, signals potential delays in the broader availability of green steel from ArcelorMittal facilities beyond Luxembourg, potentially impacting long-term procurement strategies focused on low-carbon steel.

Evaluated Market Implications:

Given the updates from “ArcelorMittal Luxembourg SteelUp project advances to completion phase” and “The ArcelorMittal Luxembourg SteelUp project is nearing completion“, steel buyers should consider exploring opportunities to secure supply contracts from ArcelorMittal Luxembourg, particularly for steel grades produced using the new EAF. These efforts could contribute to reducing their carbon footprint.

Due to the observed decline of Donelektrostal Shakhty steel plant, a steel plant of the Russian Federation, steel buyers should assess their supply chains and identify alternative suppliers to mitigate potential supply disruptions.