Crude steel output at German mills from January through November this year rose 13.5% over the first 11 months of 2020 to 36.92 million tonnes, according to figures provided by steel federation WV Stahl.
In November alone, production was on par with November 2020, at 3.37mt. Output at oxygen-route mills rose by 4.5% to 2.35mt, whereas that of EAF mills sank by nearly 10% to 1.01mt, Kallanish hears.
This apparently odd development can be attributed to a base effect, which already showed up earlier this autumn. The resurgence of production in late 2020 started initially at EAF mills, which were faster and more flexible than BOFs to respond to the rapid demand resurgence following lockdowns.
The fourth quarter saw the restart of the country’s biggest blast furnace, at thyssenkrupp’s works in Duisburg, following a reline. Therefore, it is likely that the full year will reach the 40mt mark.
Christian Koehl Germany
