Oceania Steel Market: Stable Plant Activity Despite Global Uncertainty

Oceania’s steel market demonstrates relative stability despite global market fluctuations. The provided European-centric articles, such as “The expectations of buyers and sellers in the European HRC steel market differ,” “Buyers’, sellers’ expectations vary in European steel HRC market,” “European HRC market in wait-and-see mode,” and “The prices of rolls in Northern Europe are stable compared to import offers,” do not directly relate to observed changes in Oceania’s plant activity levels; hence, no direct linkage can be established. However, they offer a global context of cautious optimism.

Bar chart and satellite map of steel production activity in Oceania

The mean steel plant activity in Oceania fluctuated between 31.0% and 46.0% over the observed period. GFG Liberty Laverton Steel Mill consistently exhibited the highest activity levels, ranging from 75.0% to 82.0%, significantly above the Oceania mean. In contrast, activity at BlueScope Port Kembla peaked at 49.0% in December 2024, then trended downward, reaching 37.0% in May 2025. BlueScope New Zealand Steel Glenbrook showed relative stability, ranging from 44.0% to 53.0%.

BlueScope Port Kembla steel plant, an integrated BF-BOF operation with a crude steel capacity of 3.2 million tonnes per annum (ttpa), focuses on slabs, hot-rolled coil, and plate for the building and infrastructure sectors. The plant’s activity decreased from 49.0% in December 2024 to 37.0% in May 2025. No direct connection between this activity decline and the provided news articles can be established.

BlueScope New Zealand Steel Glenbrook, an integrated DRI-BOF plant with a crude steel capacity of 650,000 ttpa, produces slabs, hot-rolled, and cold-rolled products for building, packaging, and machinery. Its activity remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 44.0% and 53.0%. No direct connection between these activity levels and the provided news articles can be established.

GFG Liberty Laverton Steel Mill, an EAF-based plant with a crude steel capacity of 660,000 ttpa, focuses on long products, including reinforcing bar, mesh, and tubular sections. The plant consistently operated at high activity levels, ranging from 75.0% to 82.0%, significantly above the Oceania mean. No direct connection between these activity levels and the provided news articles can be established.

Given the stable activity at GFG Liberty Laverton and BlueScope New Zealand Steel Glenbrook, coupled with the lack of direct impact from European market uncertainties detailed in the news articles, steel buyers should:

  • Focus procurement on GFG Liberty Laverton Steel Mill for long product needs due to its consistently high activity levels, suggesting reliable supply.
  • Maintain existing procurement strategies with BlueScope New Zealand Steel Glenbrook as its steady activity indicates consistent supply of flat-rolled products.
  • Monitor BlueScope Port Kembla’s output and engage in early contract negotiations to understand and potentially mitigate the impact of the observed activity decrease. While no specific link to the European market situation exists, proactively addressing potential supply fluctuations is prudent.