Germany increased rolled steel exports by 23.7% m/m in January

German steel companies increased their exports of rolled steel products to third countries by 23.7% in January 2025 compared to the previous month, to 320.71 thousand tons. The figure increased by 0.8% compared to January 2024. This is according to GMK Center’s calculations based on Eurostat data.

Exports of flat products increased by 23.5% m/m and 6.6% y/y – to 213.33 thousand tons. In particular, 74.47 thousand tons (+27.4% y/y, +20.2% m/m) of shipments were accounted for by coated flat products (HS – 7210), 49.91 thousand tons (+28.1% y/y, -2% m/m) – for hot-rolled flat products (HS – 7208), and 48.22 thousand tons (-17.6% y/y, +58% m/m) – for flat products made of other alloy steels (HS – 7225).

Shipments of long products to third countries increased by 24.2% m/m in January this year and decreased by 9.1% y/y – to 107.38 thousand tons. The largest export volumes were angles, shapes and special profiles made of unalloyed steel (HS – 7216) – 31.92 thousand tons (-12.1% y/y, +39.2% m/m). Another 26.69 thousand tons (-13.8% y/y, +4.9% m/m) were accounted for by hot-rolled rods and bars made of carbon steel in coils (HS 7213).

Imports of rolled steel products to Germany from outside the EU amounted to 60.9 thousand tons in January 2025, down 19.5% y/y but 2.3 times more than in the previous year. Supplies of long products decreased by 4.2% y/y and increased by 98.7% m/m – to 41.12 thousand tons, while supplies of flat products decreased by 39.5% y/y and increased by 3.4 times m/m to 19.79 thousand tons.

German consumers imported the most other rods and bars, angles, shapes and special profiles made of corrosion-resistant steel (HS – 7222) – 11.03 thousand tons, coated flat products (HS – 7210) – 9.18 thousand tons, and other rods and bars made of other alloy steels, hollow rods and bars for drilling of alloy or non-alloy steels (HS – 7228) – 7.71 thousand tons.

As GMK Center reported earlier, Germany is among the ten largest steel producers in the world according to World Steel. In 2024, the country increased steel production by 5.2% compared to 2023 to 37.23 million tons. Pig iron production for the year amounted to 24.33 million tons (+2.9% y/y), and hot-rolled steel production amounted to 31.61 million tons (+3% y/y).

Despite the growth in steel production, smelting volumes remained below the 40 million tonne threshold for the third consecutive year, which corresponds to the recession level, WVStahl said.