Bulgaria’s steel industry saw its main indicators fall during the second quarter, Kallanish notes. Crude steel and finished products output each decreased compared to the previous three months and year-on-year, the Bulgarian Association of Metallurgical Industries (BAMI) says in its latest quarterly report.
Crude steel output reached 133,300 tonnes in Q2, down 14,800t over January-March and 11.1% weaker compared to the same period of last year. First-half crude steel production reached 281,400t, down 2.3% over January-June 2022.
Meanwhile, finished products output fell by 11,900t on-quarter to 260,000t, and was also 18.1% less on-year. Of this volume, long steel production was 199,300t, down 2.2% over the previous quarter and 20% lower y-o-y.
Q2 flat steel output reached just 60,700t, a decrease of 19.3% and 10.9% over Q1 and on-year, respectively.
Six-month rolled products output totalled 538,900t, 10.4% fall y-o-y.
Bulgaria’s April-June steel exports rose by 32,200t on-quarter to 210,200t but was 7.2% lower when compared to the 226,400t shipped abroad in Q2 2022. Long steel exports represented 154,000t of overall shipments. H1 exports reached 388,200t, which was 8.9% down y-o-y.
Domestic demand, meanwhile, slowed in the period. Q2 steel sales were 54,700t, a decrease by 28.8% q-o-q and 11.5% on-year, respectively. Six-month sales totalled 131,500t, or 1,000t more over H1 2022, BAMI confirms.
Todor Kirkov Bulgaria