Leading European reinforcing steel producers to establish Reinforcing Steel Europe to strengthen positions in the EU market
The Dutch company Van Merksteijn and the German Badische Stahlwerke (BSW), part of Südwest Beteiligungen (SWB), plan to merge their rebar businesses in 2025. The companies informed their customers in a joint letter, noting that the merger is currently under review by antitrust and market authorities.
After obtaining the necessary approvals, the parties intend to establish a joint holding company, Reinforcing Steel Europe B.V., headquartered in Almelo, the Netherlands, in the spring. The companies note that the rebar sector has faced numerous challenges in recent years, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in environmental legislation, limited availability of raw materials and unpredictable energy prices. The planned merger is intended to strengthen the positions of both companies as leading producers and processors of rebar in the EU.
With a geographically diversified presence, the combined company will be able to be closer to customers across Europe. For Van Merksteijn, this means securing a steady supply of wire rod for its processing plants, while Südwest Beteiligungen will be able to better utilize the capacity of its steel mills in Kehl and Trier.
Van Merksteijn is one of the leading wire rod processors in the rebar sector in Europe, with additional production sites in Belgium and France. The family-owned company with approximately 725 employees achieved a turnover of €620 million in 2023.
Südwest Beteiligungen GmbH produces, processes and distributes reinforcing steel and products for the construction industry in Europe. With approximately 1,800 employees, the company generated sales of around €1.2 billion in 2023.
In November 2024, the European rebar market experienced mixed price trends. In Northern Europe, after three months of stability, prices decreased by 1.6% to €610-620/t Ex-Works due to weak demand and import pressure. At the same time, the Italian market was marked by a 3.7% increase in prices to €545-560/t Ex-Works, which was the result of the producers’ determination to implement the increase despite limited demand.
At the beginning of January 2025, rebar prices in Northern Europe amounted to €630/t Ex-Works, up 3.2% compared to the end of November. In Italy, they amounted to €575/ton Ex-Works, an increase of 4.2% m/m.
