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Italian Steel Market: Mixed Signals as August Production Rises Amid Rebar Price Drop

Italian steel production presents a mixed picture. While crude steel production saw a year-on-year increase in August, rebar prices are falling due to weak demand and decreasing scrap costs, as reported in “Rebar prices continue to fall in Italy amid lack of support“. This contrasts with the “Italian crude steel production up 7.3 percent in August 2025” report, which highlights an increase in crude steel output despite it being an annual low as per “Italy reduced steel production to an annual low in August“. The relationship between these broad trends and specific plant activities is elaborated below.

Bar chart and satellite map of steel production activity in Italy

The mean steel plant activity in Italy shows a fluctuating trend, peaking in July at 40% and then dropping to 25% in September. Alfa Acciai Brescia consistently operates above the mean, reaching 56% in September. Ferriera Valsabbia Odolo has remained relatively stable. Alfa Acciai Catania demonstrates very low activity, ceasing entirely in September.

Alfa Acciai Brescia, located in the Province of Brescia, is a 1.7 million tonne EAF-based steel plant focused on semi-finished and finished rolled products, specifically billets and rebar. Its activity has generally been above the mean, with a notable rise to 56% in September. Given the falling rebar prices reported in “Rebar prices continue to fall in Italy amid lack of support“, this increase in activity might be related to fulfilling existing orders or strategic inventory buildup despite the price pressure.

Ferriera Valsabbia Odolo, also in the Province of Brescia, has a 900,000 tonne capacity and also produces billets and rebar using EAF technology. Its activity has been stable, fluctuating slightly around the 53-55% range. There’s no clear correlation between the activity level of Ferriera Valsabbia Odolo and the news articles.

Alfa Acciai Catania, situated in the Province of Sicily, is a smaller, 500,000 tonne EAF-based plant specializing in billets and rebar. Its activity has been consistently low and dropped to 0% in September. This sharp decline could indicate a temporary shutdown or significant operational issues. No direct link can be established to the news articles based on the provided information.

Given the falling rebar prices and the increased activity at Alfa Acciai Brescia, steel buyers should consider the following:

  • Negotiate Rebar Prices: Leverage the information from “Rebar prices continue to fall in Italy amid lack of support” to negotiate more favorable rebar prices, particularly from suppliers in Northern Italy where the price decline is most pronounced.
  • Monitor Alfa Acciai Catania: Closely monitor the operational status of Alfa Acciai Catania. Its inactivity could potentially lead to localized supply constraints in Southern Italy, particularly for rebar. Consider diversifying suppliers in the region.
  • Evaluate Inventory Strategy: Depending on expected demand and risk tolerance, evaluate the potential of increasing rebar inventories, capitalizing on the current price decline. The increase in production at Alfa Acciai Brescia implies availability to support inventory increases.