Italian crude steel output declined slightly, by 0.7% year-on-year in June to 1.9 million tonnes, according to data issued by local steelmakers association Federacciai. In the first six months of the year, production fell by 6.6% on-year to 11.4mt.
Flat steel production decreased by 8.7% to 861,000t last month and by 8.4% to 4.9mt in January-June. Longs output fell by 2.3% to 1mt and by 5.7% to 6.4mt respectively, Kallanish notes.
The Italian market, particularly long mills, is preparing for longer-than-typical maintenance stoppages this August. Some longs facilities are already idled until the end of August in an effort to address the issue of overcapacity. Both flats and longs markets are suffering from a steep decline in end-use consumption.
Italian crude steel output declined by 11.5% y-o-y in 2022 to 21.6mt. Flats production tumbled 13.8% to 9.5mt, while longs output fell by 12% to 12mt.
Natalia Capra France
