Day: 21 August 2026

Federacciai, Italy’s steel industry association, has submitted an expression of interest for ADI, Acciaierie d’Italia, the former Ilva steel plants, alongside 14 of its member companies, according to a Federacciai statement on Aug. 18, potentially offering a domestic solution for what was once Europe’s largest integrated steelmaking site.

The move comes as the Italian government continues to seek new ownership for the steelmaker following years of production disruptions, financial difficulties and environmental challenges.

The 14 companies joining Federacciai’s expression of interest represent a broad cross-section of Italy’s steel industry, ranging from specialty steelmakers to producers of carbon steel long and flat products. According to Federacciai’s statement, the companies in the consortium are: ABS Acciaierie Bertoli Safau, Acciaieria Arvedi, Acciaierie Venete, Advanced Steel Solutions (Gruppo Asonext), AFV Acciaierie Beltrame, Alfa Acciai, Compagnia Siderurgica Italiana, Duferco Travi e Profilati, Feralpi Siderurgica, Ferriera Valsabbia, Lucchini RS Holding, Marcegaglia Carbon Steel, O.R.I. Martin and Rubiera Special Steel.

The expression of interest concerns assets that have been at the center of Italy’s industrial policy debate for years, particularly since environmental concerns led to production restrictions at the Taranto facility. The site has a nominal crude steel production capacity of around 8 million metric tons/year and historically operated as an integrated steelworks using blast furnaces.

The breadth of the consortium suggests an effort to bring together the technical expertise and financial resources of Italy’s steel industry to address the complex industrial, financial and legal situation surrounding the former Ilva. However, the consortium’s bid covers only the downstream, or “cold-end,” operations. It does not include the upstream “hot-end” operations in Taranto, the heart of the integrated steelmaking process, where iron ore is converted into liquid steel, the association press officer told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on the phone on Aug. 19.

The exclusion follows a July 27 court ruling ordering the shutdown of Ilva’s hot-end operations within 90 days on environmental grounds.

The former Ilva assets have been under extraordinary administration since Feb. 20, 2024, when special commissioners were appointed following a request from Italian state investment agency Invitalia and despite opposition from steelmaker ArcelorMittal, then the largest shareholder in Acciaierie d’Italia, or ADI.

ArcelorMittal acquired Ilva from the Italian government in 2018 in a deal valued at Eur1.8 billion ($1.95 billion). The company and the Italian government are now involved in legal disputes over ownership rights and compensation claims.

Before the consortium’s expression of interest, other potential buyers have also previously shown interest in ADI: India’s Jindal Group and US-based Flacks Group.

ADI is currently operating at a sharply reduced rate, with only its No. 2 blast furnace in Taranto, which has a capacity of around 2 million mt/year, in operation. ADI has three blast furnaces at the site, but BF2 is currently the only one running. BF4 began undergoing refurbishment in mid-March, while BF1 remains under seizure by Italian magistrates following a fire on May 7 last year.

Platts assessed domestic HRC in Southern Europe on Aug.18 at Eur710/mt ex-works Italy, stable day over day.

Author: Annalisa Villa

spglobal.com

Low water levels on the Rhine River continue to disrupt German steel logistics, prompting industry leaders to call for urgent government action to prevent recurring transport bottlenecks from becoming a permanent competitive disadvantage for the country’s manufacturing sector.

The persistent drought conditions affecting Europe’s most important industrial waterway have forced steelmakers to adapt their logistics strategies, with thyssenkrupp, the largest German steelmaker, maintaining its use of externally chartered vessels with lower draft capabilities to supply its Duisburg site. The company’s own push-barge fleet remains out of service due to insufficient water depth.

“The situation on the Rhine remains challenging,” a thyssenkrupp Steel spokesperson told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on Aug. 18. The company’s dedicated low-water task force continues to monitor conditions closely, though customer supply remains secure for now through the deployment of specialized vessels secured as a precautionary measure.

The ongoing disruption has elevated the issue to the political agenda, with Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger convening high-level talks on Aug. 6 with industry representatives to address the structural vulnerabilities exposed by recurring low-water events.

The German Steel Association used the ministerial meeting to press for concrete infrastructure improvements and policy measures to mitigate future disruptions. Inland waterways handle approximately one-third of the steel industry’s transport volume, making Rhine navigability critical to maintaining competitive operations.

“The persistent low water situation poses considerable challenges for industry and jeopardizes the security of supply as well as the competitiveness of Germany as a business location,” said Kerstin Maria Rippel, managing director of the German Steel Association, following the Aug. 6 talks.

While steel companies have implemented precautionary measures including additional storage capacity and flexible logistics chains following previous low-water episodes, Rippel said industry cannot compensate for structural transport infrastructure deficits alone.

The association is calling for accelerated unloading optimization on the Middle and Lower Rhine, strengthened rail capacity as a reliable alternative route, and additional transport capacity on road and rail during crisis situations.

The Rhine’s water levels have been under pressure since mid-July following a summer heat wave and scarce rainfall. The German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration has reported record-low water levels in the Rhine River, with levels below 10 centimeters at the Kaub chokepoint in mid-August with the low water levels expected to persist through all August.

For thyssenkrupp Steel’s Duisburg site, one of Europe’s largest steelmaking hubs, the disruption has already necessitated adjustments to hot metal production due to constraints in raw material supply. The facility relies heavily on stable inbound logistics for iron ore, coal and other bulk inputs typically transported via the Rhine system from North Sea ports.

Author: Annalisa Villa

spglobal.com

Following persistent downward pressure in recent weeks, Romania’s longs market has entered a more stable phase, with both the domestic mill and traders refraining from further headline price cuts this week. Nevertheless, the market stability remains fragile, as weak demand continues to weigh on business and discounts of €10-15/mt are still available in negotiations. Despite the approaching end of August, trading activity has yet to show any meaningful recovery, with the holiday period, sufficient inventories and tight liquidity keeping buyers cautious and purchases largely confined to immediate needs. Attention is therefore gradually shifting toward September, when market participants expect activity to pick up, while some Romanian buyers are already showing interest in Turkish material for potential new bookings.

Romanian traders are currently offering rebar at €610-615/mt ex-warehouse, broadly unchanged from last week. Workable levels, however, can fall by €10-15/mt depending on volumes and payment terms, as sellers remain willing to make concessions to secure the limited business available. Meanwhile, the country’s sole rebar producer, Beltrame, has also kept its quotations at €610-620/mt ex-works, although discounts of €10-15/mt are heard to be possible for larger volumes and serious inquiries.

Wire rod quotations have likewise remained at €650-660/mt ex-warehouse this week. Some flexibility is still possible during negotiations, but buying interest remains weak and transactions continue to be largely need-based.

On the import side, Turkish material has attracted more attention this week, as expectations of higher prices in Turkey, together with the continued strength of the scrap market, appear to have encouraged some Romanian buyers to make a move ahead of September. Market sources suggest that a few purchases may already have been concluded, although no details regarding volumes or transaction prices have emerged so far. Turkish rebar is currently quoted at $575-590/mt FOB, up from $570-580/mt FOB last week. With freight estimated at $25-30/mt, the corresponding delivered level is calculated at approximately €520-540/mt CFR Romania, compared to €520-530/mt CFR Romania previously. Egyptian offers have also increased this week. Rebar is currently quoted at $580-590/mt FOB, up from $575-580/mt FOB last week, while wire rod has risen to $600-610/mt FOB from $590-600/mt FOB. Including freight of approximately $30-35/mt, these levels correspond to €530-545/mt CFR Romania for rebar, compared to €525-535/mt CFR last week, and €550-560/mt CFR for wire rod, up from €540-550/mt CFR previously. Import activity from the EU, meanwhile, remains subdued. Bulgarian rebar offers are unchanged at €610-620/mt CPT Romania, though interest at these levels is still weak. Elsewhere in Europe, the summer holiday period continues to restrict trading activity and the availability of fresh quotations, leaving few new offers in the Romanian market for the time being.

Author: SteelOrbis Editorial Team

steelorbis.com

The resistance seen in Bulgaria’s longs market earlier in August has finally started to break, with domestic quotations moving lower this week as the prolonged lack of demand leaves sellers with increasingly little room to defend previous levels. The seasonal slowdown, persistent liquidity constraints and sufficient inventories continue to restrict purchasing, while discounts that had previously been available mainly during negotiations are now being reflected more clearly in official quotations. With business still scarce, sellers have started to adjust prices in an effort to stimulate buying ahead of September.

Rebar quotations have accordingly declined to around €620-630/mt CPT, compared to €630-640/mt CPT last week. For serious buyers and larger-volume inquiries, however, levels close to €610/mt CPT are understood to be achievable. Wire rod has followed the same direction, with offers falling to approximately €660-670/mt CPT from €670-680/mt CPT previously, while around €650/mt CPT may be possible in negotiations.

Import demand remains very limited, as local consumption is weak, stocks are sufficient and many buyers are still in vacation mode. Nevertheless, following the recent increase in Turkish prices, some buying interest has been heard elsewhere in the Balkans, particularly in Romania, and similar activity may emerge in Bulgaria in the coming days. Turkish rebar offers have risen to around $575-590/mt FOB, compared to $570-580/mt FOB last week. With freight to Bulgaria estimated at around $25/mt, this corresponds to approximately €520-535/mt CFR Bulgaria, versus about €515-525/mt CFR previously. Egyptian rebar is meanwhile offered at around $580-590/mt FOB, resulting in an indicative level of approximately €530-540/mt CFR Bulgaria with freight of around $30/mt, compared to roughly €530-535/mt CFR last week. Egyptian wire rod offers have increased to $600-610/mt FOB from $590-600/mt FOB, bringing the corresponding delivered level to around €545-555/mt CFR Bulgaria, versus approximately €540-550/mt CFR previously. No notable European offers have been heard this week, as the regional holiday period continues, while fresh quotations are expected to return from the beginning of September.

Domestic prices for steel heavy plate remained stable in Northern Europe in the week to August 20 and edged up slightly in Italy, but the market was still in summer mood with muted trading activity, sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday.
Southern Europe

In Italy, S235-grade plate was mainly indicated at €690-700 ($802-814) per tonne ex-works, unchanged from the latest deals reported by mills on August 6.

A trade source said the most recent transactions were heard at €690-710 per tonne ex-works for September delivery, with one re-roller expecting prices to rise to around €720 per tonne ex-works after the summer holidays.

Higher plate offers were heard in the market at €730-740 per tonne ex-works for 800-1,000-tonne orders linked to September or early October production, sources said, but no deals were reported at these levels, as many participants were still away.

“No doubt that mills’ sales managers are trying to increase offer prices,” a second trade source said on Thursday, adding that sales managers were gradually coming back to customers with firm order proposals, so it was expected that higher offers would emerge in the market.

However, trading had not yet resumed across the region due to the traditional August slowdown, with expectations for activity to pick up in early September.

A major re-roller in northern Italy was reported to have a technical problem that “will lead to a longer stoppage of the mill,” a third trade source said.

Fastmarkets contacted the producer for official comment but had not received a response by the time of publication. Other sources could not provide comments about the expected wider market impact, but confirmed the news.

The same mill experienced technical issues that led to an unplanned stoppage in late March, with maintenance extended through May-June, a source at the producer said at the time.

Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate 8-40mm, exw Southern Europe was €690-710 per tonne on Thursday, widening upward by €10 per tonne from €690-700 per tonne a week earlier.

Plate import offers were heard at €750 per tonne CFR from India to Spain, but no transactions were concluded.

As a result, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel plate (8-40mm), import, cfr main port Southern Europe, was €710-750 per tonne on Thursday, unchanged week on week.

Northern Europe

Very limited domestic plate activity was heard in Northern Europe, as the market was slow and some sources could not indicate current workable levels.

One supplier indicated prices in Germany at €850 per tonne ex-works, a trade source said, while offers were reported at €850-880 per tonne ex-works, unchanged from a week ago, but for deliveries with longer lead times.

Two of Germany’s three major plate producers were reportedly booked until the end of the year with project-related orders, according to market participants.

However, they were still expected to have capacity available for regular customers, a second trade source said, noting that many buyers commit to fixed quarterly tonnages and therefore expect mills to reserve volumes for them.

The same source said that stockholders were increasing inventories due to improving consumption and were also attempting to raise prices, although trading in commodity-grade plate remained limited.

Therefore, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate 8-40mm, exw Northern Europe was €820-850 per tonne on Thursday, stable week on week.

Plate import offers from India were also reported to Denmark at €750 per tonne CFR but no major activity was heard during the week.

The corresponding Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel plate (8-40mm), import, cfr main port Northern Europe, was €700-750 per tonne on Thursday, unchanged week on week.

European domestic long steel prices remained stable in the week to Wednesday August 19 amid thin liquidity, seasonal mill closures and subdued demand.
“Market is on holiday at the moment,” a seller source told Fastmarkets.

Market participants said activity remained limited during the assessment week, with ongoing production stoppages across Europe restricting both buying and selling activity.

No new transactions were heard during the assessment week.

In Italy, tradable levels for rebar were heard at €690-730 ($799-845) per tonne ex-works.

Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, exw Italy, remained unchanged at €690-730 per tonne on Wednesday August 19.

Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Spain, was unchanged at €750 per tonne on the same day.

Tradable levels for rebar in Northern Europe were heard at €710-730 per tonne delivered.

Meanwhile, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was unchanged at €710-730 per tonne on August 19.

Wire rod prices followed a similar trend, with weak demand and limited trading activity supporting stable prices during the assessment week.

In Southern Europe, tradable levels for mesh-quality wire rod were heard at €660-680 per tonne delivered.

Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh quality), domestic, delivered Southern Europe, was unchanged at €660-680 per tonne on August 19.

In Northern Europe, tradable levels for mesh-quality wire rod were heard at €705-715 per tonne delivered.

Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (mesh quality), domestic, delivered Northern Europe, was unchanged at €705-715 per tonne on the same day.

Italian steel reroller Ferriera Valsider declared force majeure at its plant located in Vallese di Oppeano on Aug. 17, owner Metinvest confirmed to Platts, part of S&P Global Energy.

“Ferriera Valsider has experienced a force majeure event that has resulted in the suspension of production,” Metinvest said in a statement shared via email. “The company has informed its customers, suppliers and other relevant stakeholders accordingly.”

Metinvest said technical teams are working to “define and implement the shortest possible action plan for the necessary repairs,” with the aim of restoring production as soon as possible, it added.

However, Metinvest said that assessment of the incident is still underway and that it cannot yet provide a timeframe for the restart of operations.

In a letter dated August 2026, sent to its buyers and seen by Platts, Ferriera Valsider said the event had triggered clause 8, the force majeure provision in its general terms and conditions of sale governing customer contracts. The letter described the incident as an “extraordinary, sudden and unforeseeable breakdown” that was beyond the company’s reasonable control.

The incident resulted in the “immediate and complete shutdown” of Ferriera Valsider’s production lines, according to the letter.

“At this time, we are unable to determine the duration of the force majeure event, which is expected to be significant,” the company said in the letter.

Ferriera Valsider said it had taken “all necessary and appropriate actions to manage the emergency,” and told customers it would provide an update on the situation by the end of August.

The company also said sales representatives would contact buyers individually to discuss current orders.

Ferriera Valsider did not disclose the nature of the issue, the equipment affected or the expected volume impact.

Ferriera Valsider is based in Vallese di Oppeano, in the province of Verona, northern Italy, and operates as one of Metinvest’s European steel rerolling facilities, producing steel plate and hot-rolled coil. The company supplies steel plate for shipbuilding, energy, construction and infrastructure applications in the EU, according to Metinvest’s Ferriera Valsider website.

Along with Metinvest Trametal in San Giorgio di Nogaro, Ferriera Valsider is part of Metinvest’s Italian plate rerolling platform, with the two units having about 1.2 million metric tons/year of flat-product capacity across plate and hot-rolled coil, according to the company’s website.

Platts assessed heavy plate in Italy at €710/mt ex-works on Aug. 14, stable week over week but down €60 from the 2026 high in April. Platts assessed imported slab in Italy at $550/mt CIF on Aug. 14, unchanged week over week and down $50/mt from the 2026 high in June.

Salzgitter is appointing a new management team for its Duisburg slab mill after the acquisition of Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM).

As part of the reorganisation, Andreas Betzler has assumed the role of chief financial officer and spokesperson for the management board, Kallanish learns.

As head of post-merger integration, La-Toya Müller will support and drive the organisational and cultural integration of HKM into the Salzgitter group.

Heiko von Hagen has been appointed as the new managing director of production. He was most recently responsible for the allocation of HKM slabs within the group and draws on extensive experience from his collaboration between HKM and Salzgitter.

Martin Zappe, programme director of decarbonisation campaign SALCOS, will shape the next crucial steps in the construction of Germany’s largest electric arc furnace in Duisburg, Salzgitter says,

At the same time, Peter Biele, who has served as HKM’s chief technology officer, will be leaving the company. “Peter Biele led HKM with great dedication and a high level of professional expertise during challenging times, providing important impetus for the company’s further development,” says Salzgitter ceo Gunnar Groebler.

Carsten Laakmann, will remain as managing director of human resources, with the executive team alongside Andreas Betzler, Heiko von Hagen, and Martin Zappe.