Sülzle Stahlpartner expands distribution network by acquiring RH Stahl-Vertriebs
Germany-based steel distributor Sülzle Stahlpartner has announced the acquisition of RH Stahl-Vertriebs GmbH in Pfalzfeld, marking another key step in the company’s expansion strategy.
The Pfalzfeld location is considered strategically important for strengthening the company’s nationwide branch network. Sülzle plans to invest in the site to offer new opportunities for employees, enhanced service for regional customers, and closer cooperation with national business partners.
With the addition of the Pfalzfeld branch, Sülzle will maintain the full-service portfolio and established customer relationships of RH Stahl-Vertriebs, covering reinforcing steel supply, cutting and bending services, and construction by-products.
This acquisition follows Sülzle’s July 2025 takeover of the reinforcing steel division of WesterwaldStahl GmbH in Ransbach-Baumbach, as SteelOrbis reported previously.
Together, the Pfalzfeld and Ransbach-Baumbach locations significantly strengthen Sülzle’s sales network and customer reach across Rhineland-Palatinate, enabling more efficient logistics and service delivery.
Sülzle Stahlpartner continues to emphasize innovative, climate-friendly solutions in the structural steel sector. The company sees sustainability and modernization as key to its long-term competitiveness and contribution to the decarbonization of construction supply chains.
In recent years, Sülzle has supplied materials for major national infrastructure projects, including Frankfurt Airport’s Terminal 3 and the A3 Steigerwald Autobahn expansion, delivering up to 40,000 mt of reinforcing steel.
Panatere inaugurates world’s first solar furnaces to produce recycled steel in Switzerland
Switzerland-based raw material processor and recycler Panatere has inaugurated the world’s first two solar furnaces dedicated to steel recycling in La Chaux-de-Fonds, canton Neuchâtel, according to media reports. The project marks a major technological milestone in the push toward decarbonized and circular steel production.
“There is a real interest in recycling our valuable resources. We want to keep the metal waste from the factories and recycle it locally,” Raphaël Broye, CEO of Panatere, said, describing the project as a demonstration of “true circular sustainability”.
Every year, Switzerland imports around 140,000 mt of stainless steel, including 15,800 mt for the watchmaking industry and 6,500 mt for the medical sector. Panatere’s solar recycling initiative aims to reduce this import dependence by processing local scrap.
By using 500 concave mirrors and a heliostat to concentrate sunlight, the furnace can reach temperatures of up to 2,000 °C, melting metals in just 1.5 hours with zero carbon emissions.
Panatere’s initial goal is to recover five percent of the metals produced domestically, which are currently exported as waste.
By 2028, the La Chaux-de-Fonds solar center aims to produce 1,000 mt of solar steel per year, supplying local industries such as watchmaking and medical manufacturing. The project is also expected to create new local jobs and stimulate regional economic activity.
The solar steel project has received broad institutional backing, including support from the Federal Office for the Environment, the cantons of Neuchâtel, Jura, and Bern, SIG (Services Industriels de Genève), the Swiss Climate Foundation and Energy Lab.
The first solar-produced steel bar will be exhibited at the International Watch Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Germany’s SPD calls on EU to adopt “Buy European” steel policy to counter cheap imports
Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has unveiled a proposal calling on the EU to adopt a more protectionist approach to safeguard the EU’s steel industry against cheap imports and market distortions, according to a report by Reuters.
Accordingly, the party urges the European Commission to enforce a “Buy European” strategy and a robust trade protection framework aimed at ensuring fair competition and preserving domestic value creation.
At the heart of the SPD plan is the creation of a tariff-quota system to limit excessive import volumes while maintaining market openness and control. The party argues this approach is vital to defend European steelmakers against subsidized competitors, particularly from China, whose exports continue to disrupt EU markets.
The proposal also calls for tighter controls on Russian steel imports, including mechanisms to prevent indirect entry into the EU market through Turkey and other intermediaries.
The proposal reflects growing concern over industrial decline and job losses in traditional steel-producing regions. The party warns that unchecked imports and high energy costs risk undermining Europe’s industrial base.
The SPD insists its plan does not represent protectionism but rather an effort to enforce fair competition and safeguard Europe’s strategic interests in steel – a key material for infrastructure, defense, and the green transition.
EU to replace country-specific quotas with permanent safeguard regime
The European Commission has unveiled a legislative proposal to replace the existing EU steel safeguard system, introducing a new framework designed to protect the EU’s steel industry from the negative effects of global overcapacity, which is expected to increase from the current 602 million mt to 721 million mt by 2027, according to a draft seen by SteelOrbis.
The new permanent framework, which will replace the current measures which will expire on June 30, 2026, will come into effect as of mid-2026.
Under the new regulation, the EU will maintain free-of-duty tariff quotas equivalent to pre-overcapacity market conditions – calculated based on the 2013 import share of around 13 percent of EU consumption, resulting in an annual total quota volume of 18.3 million mt. The EU’s import volume will decrease as a result of the decline in the quota volume, SteelOrbis understands. The quotas will be administered on a quarterly basis, without carry-over between quarters, to avoid market flooding. The quotas will also be allocated per product category based on the share of imports that each product category held over the 2022-24 period. If deemed necessary, the European Commission may implement country-specific quotas or restrictions. Once these quotas are exhausted, a 50 percent tariff will apply, up from the current 25 percent, in line with global tariff levels with an aim to minimize the risk of trade diversion.
The measures will require importers to declare the country of “melt and pour” origin, verifying where the steel was originally produced in liquid form to prevent circumvention.
The Commission will make an assessment at the latest within two years following the adoption of this regulation to evaluate the necessity to adjust the scope of products and, if deemed necessary, it will consider making a legislative proposal to add additional steel products, including products that are made of or contain a significant amount of steel. In addition, the Commission shall evaluate the effectiveness of this regulation before July 1, 2031, and every five years thereafter.
Steel Mont-led consortium submits proposal to resume steelmaking at Liberty Galati in Romania
The proposal was submitted on September 23, outlines a plan to relaunch steelmaking operations at the Galati steelworks on the west bank of the River Danube, in southeastern Romania, under a tolling model, ensuring continuity of supply and safeguarding thousands of jobs connected to the site, according to Steel Mont.
The Galati steelworks has five blast furnaces with a combined capacity of more than 6 million tonnes per year of pig iron. The mill is also able to produce 3.5 million tpy of hot-rolled coil, 1 million tpy of cold-rolled coil, 1.2 million tpy of steel plate and 350,000 tpy of hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) coil, Fastmarkets data shows.
The Liberty Galati plant is the largest integrated steel producer in Romania and one of the key industrial assets in southeastern Europe. Operations at the site have been severely curtailed since parent company Liberty Steel’s financial difficulties and production interruptions in recent years, with an attempt to restart crude steel production in June failing due to technical issues.
According to Steel Mont, which has its headquarters in Dusseldorf, Germany, the consortium’s proposal includes raw material supplies, tolling operations and the off-take of finished products, with an option for a potential acquisition of the plant in the future.
“We can confirm that the consortium has expressed its strong interest in supporting Liberty Galați’s restart,” Steel Mont founder and chief executive officer Rajesh Saraiya said. “This initiative is designed to safeguard jobs, secure supply chains, and ensure that Romania retains its strategic steelmaking capacity within the European Union.”
A Steel Mont representative told Fastmarkets on October 7 that the other participants in the consortium could not be revealed yet.
The administrators of Liberty Galati are currently reviewing the proposal, Fastmarkets understands.
Liberty Steel declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Fastmarkets on October 6.
Steel Mont has been operating for more than 10 years, trading in finished and semi-finished steel, minerals and steelmaking raw materials.
The proposal comes after a major development in August 2025: the restructuring plan for Liberty Galați was approved by a majority of creditors and confirmed by the Galați Tribunal.
The approved plan outlines debt repayments to secured and unsecured creditors, full payment of wage claims and a strategic refocusing on the domestic Romanian market, alongside cost optimization measures and streamlined local governance, according to Liberty Steel.
The vote involved approximately 1,200 creditors. The plan was accepted by more than half, with about 52% in favour, while 20% opposed, allowing it to pass under insolvency rules in Romania.
European Commission proposes deep cuts to steel import quotas, 50% over-limit duty
Under the new plan, only 18.3 million tonnes per year of steel would enter the EU without being subject to tariffs, down from existing levels. Steel shipments above that cap would face duty at 50%.
The Commission also confirmed that it will require “melt and pour” origin verification for imported steel, making it harder for goods to be relabelled or transshipped via third countries.
The changes were intended to better shield EU steelmakers from global overcapacity and unfair trade practices, the Commission said on October 7.
The goal was to help the struggling EU steel sector return to sustainable capacity utilization rates near 85%, up from current average of 67%, and to align import market shares with pre-crisis levels of 15% for flat and stainless steel and 5% for long steel.
Apparent steel consumption in the EU amounted to 127 million tonnes in 2024, down by 2.3% from 130 million tonnes in 2023 and lower than during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic year, when it was 129 million tonnes, according to data from European steel industry association Eurofer.
While both steel consumption and production in the EU have declined, the share of steel imports in the European market has been rising, crowding out local supplies, market sources said.
Eurofer data also showed that carbon steel imports into the EU in 2024 amounted to 26.36 million tonnes, up by 6.4% from 2023’s 24.78 million tonnes.
Imports currently accounted for around 25% of the EU flat steel market, stakeholders have estimated.
“We need to act now,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “I urge the Council and Parliament to move ahead quickly. The Commission will continue to work with industry to protect and create good jobs, and with Member States and global partners – including at WTO level – to find long-term solutions to shared challenges.”
The proposals would replace the steel safeguard measures that were set to run until the end of June 2026 under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.
Current safeguard measures cover 26 steel product categories, with the out-of-quota duty at 25%.
The Commission claimed that the proposed measures were “fully WTO-compliant.”
“Upon receipt of a mandate from the Council,” a press release read, “the Commission will swiftly engage with affected EU trading partners under the Article XXVIII GATT [General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade] procedure regarding this change to the EU’s WTO tariffs, with a view to offering them country-specific allocations.”
There will be a few exceptions, however. Exports from Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein will not be subject to tariff quotas or duties.
“Separately, interests of a candidate country facing an exceptional and immediate security situation, such as Ukraine, should also be reflected upon when deciding on the quota allocations, without undermining the effectiveness of the measure,” the Commission said.
Details on country-specific allocations have not yet been revealed.
Next steps, timeline
The proposal still requires approval from the European Parliament and Council. If adopted, the new regime would take effect when the existing safeguards expire in mid-2026.
The Commission was expected to defend the plan as both a protective and strategic measure – not just for the steel sector, but for the broader ecological and strategic ambitions of the EU.
Winners, losers, market consequences
Steel producers within the EU welcomed the proposal, arguing that it will help to curb the flood of subsidized imports and bolster local production.
The suggestions were in line with a request made by Eurofer earlier this year.
The UK, which is heavily dependent on steel exports to the EU, was swift to sound the alarm, describing the curbs as “disastrous” for its fragile steel sector.
“Given that around 80% of the UK’s steel exports go to Europe, the new measures proposed by the EU represent an existential threat to our industry, as well as the thousands of jobs and communities it supports right across the country,” Alasdair McDiarmid, assistant general secretary at UK steelworkers’ trade union Community, said in a statement seen by Fastmarkets.
“This development also highlights the urgent need for tightened trade defense measures from the UK, especially because these new EU measures are likely to push a tide of diverted steel products toward our shores,” he added.
For traders, steel processors, tubemakers and other stakeholders reliant on steel imports in Europe, the shift will tighten supply for certain grades, pushing up prices for in-quota steel.
In a draft document seen by Fastmarkets, the quota for hot-rolled coil (HRC), category 1A would be 5,198,712 tonnes per year. For reference, in 2024 the EU imported around 9.4 million tonnes of HRC, according to Global Trade Tracker (GTT) statistics.
The quota for cold-rolled coil (CRC), category 2, would be 1,554,759 tpy, against 3 million tonnes of imports in 2024.
For metallic coated sheet, category 4A, the new quota was suggested at 1,620,686 tpy, and for category 4B at 1,238,995 tpy – around a 50% reduction compared with actual imports around 4.7 million tpy for both categories last year.
Such massive reductions were expected to result in massive trade distortions in the market, sector sources said.
Several of them told Fastmarkets on Tuesday that European steelmakers might make another attempt to raise domestic prices for first-quarter 2026 deliveries, expecting that tougher trade measures and the start of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) would curb buying appetite for new imports.
“Changes in trade regime will entail greater reliance on European [steel] coil and, as a result, higher prices for first-quarter-delivery material,” a buyer in Germany said.
At the same time, other market sources said that they did not expect any immediate affect because the proposed new measures have yet to be officially adopted, although they were expected to come into force in mid-2026.
Steel derivatives imports weakening Europe’s industrial base
A surge in steel derivatives imports is quietly eroding Europe’s industrial base and threatening more than three million jobs across the steel, manufacturing, construction, mobility, and energy sectors, distributors’ association EUROMETAL writes in a letter sent to EU policymakers.
It notes that these steel derivatives are not classified as steel under EU customs codes and therefore largely bypass the EU’s existing trade defence instruments (TDIs) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
To restore fairness and competitiveness, EUROMETAL is calling for the EU to extend CBAM and its TDIs to cover these products, adopt a European “melt & pour” tracking system, and strengthen customs surveillance to close classification loopholes, Kallanish notes.
The letter cautions that urgent intervention is needed with the “silent circumvention” weakening the EU’s industrial strength and climate goals. This is especially the case in strategic sectors such as renewable energy, electrification, mobility, defence and infrastructure.
This loophole creates a dual market distortion with EU producers and distributors bound by strict environmental, carbon pricing, and trade compliance obligations, while imported steel-intensive goods face none of these requirements, it says.
The result is a growing influx of cheap, high-carbon products from regions with subsidised, overcapacity-driven steel industries, particularly in Asia, that undercut European manufacturers on price and compliance costs.
Between 2010 and 2024, imports of steel derivatives into the EU more than doubled, rising by over 213% to surpass 8 million tonnes. The surge is concentrated in the sectors of automotive, machinery, electrical equipment, and prefabricated structures, which account for most of the import growth.
It also highlights how these imports have coincided with the weakening performance in the basic metals, fabricated metal products, machinery, automotive, and furniture sectors.
Many of these imported products are manufactured using carbon-intensive steel and processed abroad, meaning that the EU is not only losing industrial capacity but also exporting its environmental footprint, it says.
It also notes the extension of the Section 232 tariffs by the US on more than 400 categories of steel derivatives and that the country introduced a “melt & pour” rule, requiring exporters to declare where the steel was originally melted and cast. The EU’s lack of similar mechanisms has turned Europe into a dumping ground for high-carbon steel derivatives diverted from the US market, EUROMETAL warns.
Elina Virchenko UAE
