Industeel expands wear-resistant steel distribution in Spain and Portugal
The distribution network of France-based steel plate producer Industeel’s Creusabro® steels has been strengthened with the addition of a new partner. Industeel, subsidiary of Luxembourg-headquartered steelmaker ArcelorMittal, has announced that it has signed an agreement with Portugal-based heavy plate supplier Norsider to distribute its Creusabro® wear-resistant steels for the Spain and Portugal, two growing markets for specialized steel products.
Creusabro®, known for its resistance to abrasion, impact, and fatigue, are engineered for high-performance applications in demanding environments.
The agreement will enable Norsider to distribute Creusabro® 4800 and Creusabro® 8000 in a wide range of thicknesses, ensuring that the immediate needs of industrial clients in both Spain and Portugal are effectively met.
Norsider is expected to reduce lead times and increase availability, giving customers faster access to critical steel components. This partnership also supports ArcelorMittal’s broader strategy of improving regional supply chains and customer responsiveness across Europe.
Romanian long steel prices still stable amid slow summer demand
This week, the Romanian long steel market has remained stable, with no significant price changes compared to last week. Activity across the market continues to be limited, primarily due to the approaching summer holiday period.
Many market participants expect demand to improve starting in September. At the moment, most buyers are not actively restocking and overall business remains slow. Still, there is some immediate demand for certain rebar sizes, which are reported to be in limited supply.
“Demand is slower than usual due to the upcoming holiday period. Still, there’s some need for specific rebar sizes, though stock levels are generally sufficient for now,” a trader told SteelOrbis
Rebar offers from Romania’s sole domestic producer have remained unchanged week on week at €590-605/mt ex-works. Likewise, rebar prices offered by traders have held steady at €590-600/mt ex-warehouse.
In the wire rod segment, demand remains weak, but prices are holding steady at €585-595/mt ex-warehouse, supported by stable supplier offers despite low buying interest.
Meanwhile, most import offers have remained stable over the past week. Reports indicate that offers from Egypt are unchanged, with rebar quoted at €505-510/mt CPT and wire rod at €520-525/mt CPT. Similarly, rebar offers from Bulgaria are stable at €610-630/mt DAP, the same as last week. In contrast, Turkish rebar offers to Romania have declined by €15/mt, now standing at €475-495/mt CFR, based on an exchange rate of €1 = $1.16 and estimated freight costs of €25-30/mt.
Hilco puts Gerlafingen’s sections mill up for sale
The sections and merchant bar rolling mill idled one year ago by Swiss steelmaker Stahl Gerlafingen has been put up for sale by Hilco Industries, Kallanish notes.
Amsterdam-based Hilco Industrial is an agent for the resale of second hand production equipment. It is a subsidiary of US group Hilco Global.
The main original supplier of the equipment for rolling and automation was Daneli, with TSR Hockenheim as builder of the reheating furnace, Hilco writes in its information sheet. The mill was commissioned in 2011, including advanced rolling mill mechanical equipment, alongside electrics and automation systems utilising Siemens-brand technology, Hilco notes.
The rolling mill reutilised a minor portion of the equipment of the previous rolling mill at the site. Designed for a production capacity of 600,000 tonnes/year, the rolling mill can process either billet, bloom, or beam blanks into a wide mix of beams, sections, and flat bars. It features a 120 t/hour walking beam reheating furnace, a breakdown reversible mill (BDM), a three stands ultra-flexible reversing mill (UFR), and an eight-stand continuous finishing mill.
Stahl Gerlafingen, a subsidiary of Beltrame group, decided last year to discontinue production of sections and merchant bar. This was attributed to high costs caused by Swiss electricity prices and EU trade barriers preventing the firm from selling merchant bar to neighbouring markets.
The mill has since confined itself to making rebar (see Kalanish passim).
Christian Koehl Germany
Voestalpine to supply steel for BYD’s Hungary plant
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) producer BYD says it has agreed to procure steel from Austrian steelmaker voestalpine for its new car factory in Hungary, Kallanish notes.
Signed by BYD executive vice president Stella Li, alongside voestalpine chief executive Herbert Eibensteiner in Vienna, the agreement covers sheet steel, and makes voestalpine one of the first confirmed supply partners for the Szeged facility.
The company was chosen by BYD because of its geographical proximity to the factory in Hungary, and the high quality and excellent reputation of Austrian steel, the Chinese company claims.
According to the carmaker, the agreement marks a significant step in BYD’s localisation policy, as the brand continues to expand its operations across Europe. “BYD will be on sale in 29 European countries by the end of 2025, and its sales network will comprise more than 1,000 retail stores. In addition, BYD recently committed to a new European headquarters in Budapest, along with its first bespoke European R&D centre, also in Hungary,” it adds.
“The announcement of voestalpine as a supplier demonstrates how BYD is committed to sourcing high-quality, competitive local suppliers to support its stated goal of producing cars in Europe, for Europe,” it notes. “Our company continues to meet with hundreds of potential suppliers in key markets as it ramps up preparations for the start of European production.”
“BYD has always been clear that we have come to Europe to stay in Europe – and to produce here,” says Stella Li. “Our commitment to the European market is strong and as we’re showing here, it goes far beyond pure car sales. We’re applying a long-term vision here, with the goal of being seen by consumers, within the next five years, as a European manufacturer. I’m delighted that we will be working with voestalpine, a company that has a long history of innovation and a commitment to decarbonisation and sustainable CO2 reduction.”
“With its high-quality steel products, voestalpine is an important partner for the global automotive industry,” says Eibensteiner. “We are confident this initial order for the production of high-quality flat steel for car bodies and outer panels will lay the foundation for a long-term partnership with BYD.”
BYD has been enjoying strong progress in Austria, becoming the number one brand with private battery electric vehicle buyers and enjoying a 15% share of that market. Its overall market share in the country now sits at 2.5%. To further support this success, BYD has also announced that Austria will become the EU pilot market for the implementation of V2H (Vehicle to Home) technology in its vehicles.
Austria has been chosen for this project, which will be managed in conjunction with a local partner, because of the country’s high penetration of solar energy. More than half of all Austrian households are supplied with solar-panel energy. Customer demand is also strong, with BYD dealerships reporting that half of customers are already asking when V2H will become available.
Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria
Italian coil stagnates, imports seen bottoming out
The Italian and wider European coil market remains subdued, amid ongoing price weakness and sluggish purchasing activity. However, import prices appear to have bottomed out after a steep decline, Kallanish notes.
According to three major buyers, import purchasing has resumed, particularly from Asian suppliers. One buyer notes a preference for sourcing from closer Mediterranean origins such as Turkey and Algeria. Some service centres are also engaging in selective purchasing – both from EU and non-EU sources – when prices are deemed competitive.
Current import transactions range from €460-520/tonne ($532-602) cfr Italy, depending on origin and volume. Meanwhile, domestic producers continue to offer short lead times, with prices reported at €540-560/t base delivered.
A service centre reports that Turkish mills are no longer willing to lower their HRC prices. He anticipates import price stability in the coming days. Current Turkish offers range from €470/t cfr excluding duties to €510/t. A contract price of €500/t cfr would translate to approximately €550/t delivered to the warehouse, the service centre source believes.
Indonesian HRC is currently offered at €470/t cfr, while Indian suppliers are quoting higher prices, in the €510-520/t cfr range. According to a trader, import prices have likely bottomed out, with any fresh Asia-origin orders from now onwards expected to be impacted by Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) costs. Two additional sources confirm that, apart from potential euro-dollar exchange rate shifts, further price reductions are unlikely.
On the cold rolled coil front, buyers are actively engaging in import transactions. Indian and Turkish CRC has been secured at around €600-610/t cfr Italy. Turkish suppliers are preferred due to shorter lead times and fast transit times, with navigation taking only two days.
Natalia Capra France
European coil price decline seen bottoming in July
The slide in coil prices seen for more than a month all over Europe could bottom in mid-to-end July, when ordering imports becomes too risky with the approach of CBAM, Kallanish hears from market players.
According to one, the main driver of the price deterioration has been the market leader mill seeking to compete with still attractive, low-priced import offers. However, imports would have to arrive in Europe before 1 October, meaning orders from overseas mills would need to be placed until mid-July, but not much thereafter.
“Traders are therefore reserved; also, because volumes arriving in October or after would bring up inventory levels before year-end, which people try to avoid,” he notes.
Not all players agree with the argumentation, although they do see a barrier from 1 January 2026, when CBAM takes effect. “Further down the road this year, imports will not make sense,” one buyer says.
Another insider observes that Japan-origin product is quite popular among importers now, given the depreciation of the yen versus the euro. Japanese hot rolled coil can be had for some €530/tonne ($621) fca Antwerp, and cold rolled coil for €620/t.
Another country that has entered the fray is Indonesia, which is exempt from EU safeguards because of its status as a developing country. “European buyers ordered low volumes for quality testing first, but now they are going for big-size orders,” the insider says. HRC from Indonesia can be had at below €520/t fca Antwerp, and even lower when landing in Italy, at €480-490/t, he notes.
From domestic European mills, most players see HRC prices at below €600/t, currently mostly in the range of €570-590, with some lower-priced deals reported. CRC prices will keep their premium over HRC at €80+, and galvanized at €100+. The price deterioration with these products has been less pronounced mainly because of the extra energy costs involved, amid high power prices in most European countries.
Christian Koehl Germany
European HRC prices continue falling
European hot-rolled coil prices continued to fall Thursday June 26 with sources saying that a lack of demand, seasonal factors, decreases in iron ore prices as well as competitive import offers were key factors weighing on the market.
Fastmarkets’ calculation of the daily steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Northern Europe was €566.25 ($658.22) per tonne on June 26, down by €7.5o per tonne from €573.75 per tonne on Wednesday June 25.
Workable levels were indicated within the wide range of €550-570 per tonne ex-works versus €560-580 per tonne a day earlier, with one seller saying that €580 per tonne ex-works is no longer achievable.
The source added that negative dynamics affecting iron ore prices have somewhat helped mills maintain profits, while earlier this week sources reported that the price level was approaching the cost line.
Fastmarkets’ daily index for iron ore 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao was $92.32 per tonne on June 26, down from $97.27 per tonne on May 26.
In Italy, the HRC market also continued to show signs of weakness.
“In 20 years, passing through 2028 and Covid, I have never seen such a weak demand,” a local market source said.
Although no sales were reported during the day, workable prices varied within the range of €530-550 per tonne ex-works depending on the tonnage.
Small-sized tonnages are currently available at €540 per tonne and above, while decent tonnages could be traded within the range of €530-540 per tonne ex-works, according to sources.
Fastmarkets’ daily steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Italy was calculated at €540.63 per tonne on June 26, down by €6.03 per tonne day on day.
HRC offers from Indonesia with August shipment were heard at €470-480 per tonne ex-works.
HRC from Turkey was on offer at €525-530 per tonne CFR duty paid for small-tonnage orders, while large volumes — of 20,000 tonnes or higher — were reportedly possible to get €500-510 per tonne duty paid.
From Vietnam and Thailand, HRC offers were €510-515 per tonne CFR to Italy.
European steel CRC, HDG prices fall on seasonal slowdown, import competition
Downstream flat steel prices fell in Europe in the week to Wednesday June 25, with the current seasonal slowdown severely affecting demand across the region, industry sources told Fastmarkets.
“Prices are under pressure because of the summer,” a distributor source said, who added that market participants might have to wait until September for price increases to be seen.
A producer source also pointed to cheaper imports from Asia as a cause of “significant disruption” in the European market, particularly shipments from Indonesia.
Northern Europe
Suppliers were heard offering cold-rolled coil at €660-670 ($771-783) per tonne ex-works during the assessment period, compared with €685-690 per tonne ex-works the previous week.
This week, deals were also heard at €670 per tonne ex-works.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel cold-rolled coil, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was €660-670 per tonne on Wednesday, falling from €685-690 per tonne last week.
Import prices for CRC into Northern Europe also dropped in the week to Wednesday, with offers from Asia around €630-640 per tonne CFR, compared with €640 per tonne CFR the week before.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel cold-rolled coil, import, cfr main port Northern Europe, was €630-640 per tonne on Wednesday, falling from €640-660 per tonne a week earlier.
Meanwhile, domestic prices for hot-dipped galvanized coil also fell this week, with offers heard around €670-680 per tonne ex-works, compared with €690-700 per tonne ex-works during the previous week.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel hot-dipped galvanized coil, domestic, exw Northern Europe, was €670-690 per tonne on June 25, falling from €690-700 per tonne the previous week.
Import prices for HDG also dropped this week, with suppliers heard offering €690-700 per tonne CFR, compared with €720 per tonne CFR in May.
As a result, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel hot-dipped galvanized coil, import, cfr main port Northern Europe, was €690-700 per tonne on Wednesday, falling from €700-740 per tonne the previous week.
Southern Europe
Domestic CRC prices in Southern Europe also fell during the week to Wednesday, according to market sources.
Suppliers were heard offering €680 per tonne ex-works this week, compared with €680-680 per tonne ex-works earlier in the month.
Meanwhile, deals were heard at €660-670 per tonne ex-works.
Consequently, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel cold-rolled coil, domestic, exw Southern Europe, was €660-680 per tonne this week, falling from €680-700 per tonne the previous week.
Import prices for CRC were unchanged during the week.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel cold-rolled coil, import, cfr main port Southern Europe, was €590-630 per tonne, unchanged week on week.
At the same time, domestic HDG prices also dropped, with trade sources estimating the market at €680-690 per tonne ex-works, compared with €700-720 per tonne the previous week.
As a result, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel hot-dipped galvanized coil, domestic, exw Southern Europe, was €680-690 per tonne on June 25, falling from €700-720 per tonne the previous week.
Import prices for HDG into Southern Europe were also unchanged during the week.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel hot-dipped galvanized coil, import, cfr main port Southern Europe, was €670-700 per tonne, unchanged week on week.