Spain reduced steel production by 9.1% m/m in July

In July 2024, Spanish steelmakers reduced steel production by 9.1% compared to the previous month, to 900 thousand tons. Thus, the country was ranked 16th in the global ranking of steel producing countries (71) by the WorldSteel Association.

Compared to July 2023, Spanish steelmakers increased steel production by 8.8%.

In January-July 2024, Spain increased steel production by 4.7% compared to the same period in 2023, to 7.04 million tons. Average monthly steel production for 7 months amounted to 1 million tons compared to 974.14 thousand tons a year earlier.

In January-July 2024, steel production in the European Union increased by 1.5% compared to January-July 2023, to 78 million tons. Global steel production for 7 months amounted to 1.11 billion tons, which is 0.7% less than in the same period last year.

As GMK Center reported earlier, in 2023, Spain reduced steel production by 2.7% compared to 2022, to 11.26 million tons. The average monthly steel production amounted to 938.5 thousand tons, while in the same period of 2022 the figure was 964.42 thousand tons (-2.69% y/y).

There are 14 operating steel enterprises in Spain: Megasa Siderúrgica Narón (capacity of 700 thousand tons of steel per year), ArcelorMittal Asturias (Gijón) (1.2 million tons per year), ArcelorMittal Asturias (Aviles) (4.2 million tons per year), Celsa Global Steel Wire Santander (750 thousand tons per year), Sidra Steel Wire (750 thousand tons per year), Sidenor Aceros Especiales Basuri (740 thousand t/y), ArcelorMittal Sestao (2 million t/y), Celsa Nervacero (1 million t/y), ArcelorMittal Olaberria-Bergara (1.45 million t/y), Megasider Zaragoza (500 thousand t/y), and t/y), Celsa Barcelona Castellbisbal (2.5 million t/y), Grupo Gallardo Corrugados Getafe (600 thousand t/y), Grupo Gallardo Siderurgica Balboa Jerez de los Caballeros (1.3 million t/y), Riva Siderurgica Sevillana (1.3 million t/y), Acerinox Europa Los Barrios (1.2 million t/y).

The total capacity of the plants is 19.44 million tons per year. Thus, in 2023, capacity utilization was 58%.

Hydnum Steel recently announced plans to build the first green steel plant in Spain and one of the first in Europe. The future facility, which will be located in Puertollano, will produce high-quality rolled steel using green hydrogen to produce direct reduction iron (DRI).

The initial production volume of the Hydnum Steel plant will be 1.5 million tons of rolled steel per year. At subsequent stages, it will be increased to 2.6 million tons per year. The project received priority status from the government of the province of Castile-La Mancha.