Belgium increased steel production by 12.3% m/m in July

In July 2023, metallurgical enterprises of Belgium increased steel production by 12.3% compared to the previous month – up to 603 thousand tons. Year-on-year steel production in the country decreased by 0.2%. This is evidenced data World Steel Association.

In January-July 2023, steel production in Belgium amounted to 3.84 million tons, which is 8.8% less compared to the same period in 2022.

The average monthly steel production in Belgium in January-July amounted to 549.1 thousand tons, while for the same period in 2022 the figure was at the level of 601.8 thousand tons (-8.76% y/y).

There are 5 metallurgical plants in Belgium, in particular, one blast-furnace type (BF & BOF) in Ghent (annual capacity – 4.34 million tons of steel), and four electric arc – two in Charleroi (850 thousand tons and 350 thousand tons), one in Chatelet (1 Mt) and Genk (1.2 Mt). These are the companies of Aperam and ArcelorMittal.

In 2022, Belgian steelmakers reduced steel production by 0.4% compared to 2021 – to 6.94 million tons. In December 2022, 667 thousand tons of steel were produced, which is 13.8% more y/y and by 28.3% m/m.

In general, steel production in the EU countries in July 2023 fell by 7.1% compared to July last year, to 10.3 million tons. In January-July this year, 76.7 million tons of steel were produced in the EU, which is 10.3% less y/y.

As GMK Center reported earlier, in 2022 European steelmakers reduced steel production by 10.5% compared to 2021 – to 136.7 million tons. Overall, global steel output fell 4.3% y/y last year – to 1.831 billion tons.