Germany imported 264.1 thousand tons of steel from third countries in January-April

In January-April 2024, Germany reduced imports of rolled steel products from third countries by 2.5% compared to the same period in 2023, to 264.12 thousand tons. This is evidenced by GMK Center’s calculations based on Eurostat data.

Over 4 months, imports of flat products increased by 0.7% y/y, while imports of long products decreased by 3.4% y/y – to 57.62 thousand tons and 206.5 thousand tons, respectively. Long products accounted for more than 78% of total steel imports to Germany in January-April 2024.

The bulk of imports came from wire rod – 50.8 thousand tons (+108% y/y), rebar – 44.9 thousand tons (-21% y/y), and hot-rolled flat products – 32.24 thousand tons (+191% y/y).

In April, imports of rolled steel products to Germany totaled 60.97 thousand tons, down 9.2% y/y. Supplies of long products decreased by 0.5% y/y – to 51.5 thousand tons, and flat products by 38.4% y/y – to 9.47 thousand tons.

Steel exports from Germany increased by 15.7% y/y over 4 months – to 1.27 million tons. In particular, exports of long products increased by 26.3% y/y – to 530.3 thousand tons, and flat products – by 9.1% y/y, to 744.61 million tons.

The largest exports were of coated flat products – 264.9 thousand tons (+16% y/y), flat products of other alloy steels – 181.21 thousand tons (+26.2% y/y), and angles, shapes and special sections of non-alloy steel – 178.45 thousand tons (+75.1% y/y).

In April, Germany exported 320.25 thousand tons of rolled steel, up 32% compared to April 2023. Exports of long products increased by 61.9% y/y – to 135.48 thousand tons, and flat products – by 16.3% y/y, to 184.77 thousand tons.

As GMK Center reported earlier, Germany is among the ten largest steel producers in the world according to World Steel. In 2023, the country decreased steel production by 3.9% year-on-year – to 35.4 million tons, ranking 8th in the global ranking of producing countries.

Imports of rolled steel products decreased by 31.9% last year compared to 2022, to 759.99 thousand tons. Steel exports decreased by 7.8% compared to 2022 – to 3.36 million tons.