Poland reduced steel production by 19.5% y/y in January–February

In January–February 2026, Polish steelmakers reduced steel production by 19.5% compared to the same period in 2025, down to 990,000 tons. This is according to calculations by the GMK Center based on data from the World Steel Association.

In February, Polish steelmakers produced 470,000 tons of steel, which is 20.9% less than in February 2025 and 9.6% less than the previous month. In January, production volumes stood at 520,000 tons, which was also 18.2% lower than the previous year and 8.1% lower than in December.

Thus, following a relatively stable 2025, when the country produced 7.2 million tons of steel, the Polish steel industry began 2026 with a significant decline. For comparison, production in January-February of last year totaled 1.23 million tons.

The weak start to the year also reflects broader problems in the Polish steel market. Domestic demand has generally remained within the range of 12–13 million tons per year over the past decade, but there is a lack of new growth drivers. The construction sector remains the main consumer of steel, but residential and industrial construction are under pressure. At the same time, one of the few real drivers of demand is government infrastructure and energy projects.

An additional drag on the market is the weakness of the automotive industry, which remains a major consumer of flat steel. Taken together, this creates a challenging environment for steel producers and limits the industry’s potential for a rapid recovery.

As a reminder, in 2025, Poland’s steel industry increased steel production by 0.8% compared to 2024, reaching 7.2 million tons. In 2023, this figure stood at 6.44 million tons, and in 2022, it was 7.41 million tons.