French longs exports plummet in 2020

French steel exports to non-EU countries increased on-year in December 2020 after declining in the previous months, Kallanish learns from new data released by national steel association Fédération Française de l’Acier (FFA). Steel shipments however decreased significantly in 2020 compared to 2019.

French exports of flat and long steel to countries outside the EU28 went up by 15.5% year-on-year in December to 134,000 tonnes. Flats exports increased 19.6% to 128,000t, compared to 107,000t in December 2019. Longs exports however declined 33.3% to 6,000t, compared to 9,000t a year earlier, the association reveals.

In 2020 French long and flat product exports to non-EU countries decreased on-year by 20% to 124,000 t/month. Exports of flats fell 16.5% to 111,000 t/m, while longs exports plummeted 40.9% to 13,000 t/m, the association concludes.

In February French crude steel output was down 8.8% on-year to 1.12 million tonnes.

Natalia Capra France