Germany reduced steel production by 10.1% y/y in April

In April 2025, German steelmakers reduced steel production by 10.1% compared to the same month in 2024, to 2.95 million tons. Compared to the previous month, the figure fell by 5.2%. This is evidenced by data from the German Steel Industry Association WVStahl.

Steel production in oxygen converters amounted to 2 million tons for the month, down 12.6% y/y and 2.7% m/m, and in electric arc furnaces – 946 thousand tons (-4.3% y/y; -10.1% m/m).

Pig iron production in Germany in April decreased by 11.2% compared to April 2024, and by 1.8% compared to March – to 1.86 million tons. Hot-rolled steel production decreased by 8.6% y/y and 10.6% m/m – to 2.49 million tons.

In January-April 2025, the German steel industry reduced steel production by 11.9% y/y – to 11.45 million tons. Oxygen converters produced 7.76 million tons of steel (-14.4% y/y), and electric arc furnaces – 3.69 million tons (-5.9% y/y). Pig iron production for 4 months fell by 14.6% y/y – to 7.18 million tons. Rolled steel production decreased by 10.4% y/y – to 10.13 million 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 its 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.