France increased rolled steel exports by 16.9% y/y in January

In January 2025, French steel enterprises increased their exports of rolled metal products to third countries by 16.9% compared to the same month a year earlier, to 158.21 thousand tons. The figure was up 24.9% month-on-month. This is according to GMK Center’s calculations based on Eurostat data.

Exports of long products increased by 57.4% y/y and 2.2 times m/m – to 33.28 thousand tons, and flat products by 9.4% y/y and 12.2% m/m – to 124.93 thousand tons. Hot-rolled flat products (HS-7208) accounted for the largest shipments, amounting to 55.5 thousand tons (+36.7% y/y, +19.8% m/m), flat products of carbon steel, hot-rolled, unclad, without galvanic or other coating (HS – 7225) – 38.65 thousand tons (-5.7% y/y; +6.1% m/m), coated flat products (HS – 7210) – 20.64 thousand tons (+0.5% y/y; +2.8% m/m), and hot-rolled rods and bars, carbon steel, in coils (HS – 7213) – 19.65 thousand tons (+7.7 times y/y; +4.9 times m/m).

In January 2025, imports of rolled products by French consumers increased by 51.8% y/y and 2.6 times m/m to 45.65 thousand tons. In particular, shipments of long products amounted to 22.17 thousand tons (+32.4% y/y, +2.6 times m/m), and flat products – 23.48 thousand tons (+76.3% y/y, +4 times m/m).

Key imported products include:

• hot-rolled flat products (HS-7208) – 11.68 thousand tons (+13 times y/y; +6.5 times m/m);
• coated flat products (HS-7210) – 6.83 thousand tons (-10.6% y/y, +7.6 times m/m);
• other rods and bars of carbon steel, not further processed, twisted (HS – 7214) – 6.37 thousand tons (+20.1% y/y; +67.1% m/m);
• angles, shapes and special profiles of non-alloy steel (HS – 7216) – 5.68 thousand tons (+45% y/y; +2.7 times m/m).

In 2024, French steelmakers increased steel production by 7.6% compared to 2023, to 10.76 million tons. The figure recovered after a significant drop of 17.5% in 2023.

The average monthly steel production in 2024 amounted to 896.25 thousand tons, while in 2023 these volumes amounted to 833 thousand tons, and in 2022 – 1.01 million tons.