Southeast Europe steel output rebounds in October

Southeast Europe (SEE) crude steel production decreased in October compared with the same month last year, according to the latest worldsteel data monitored by Kallanish. Regional output amounted to 385,700 tonnes, down by 7.8% year-on-year.

However, output was more than in September, when SEE production was 368,602t (see Kallanish passim).

In January-October, regional production was flat on-year at 4.02 million tonnes.

Serbia was again the largest steel producer among the seven countries of SEE, which also include Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, North Macedonia and Moldova.

Serbia’s production of crude steel totalled 1.44mt in January-October, up by 13.4%.

Second-largest producer in the region Bosnia and Herzegovina saw crude steel output almost flat on-year at 750,000t.

Third-largest steel producer Slovenia saw ten-month production drop by 6.8% at 524,560t.

Fourth-largest Bulgaria’s production was flat on-year at 488,100t.

Fifth-largest steel producer Moldova saw its crude steel output down by 0.9% on-year at 468,400t.

North Macedonia produced 207,374t, less by 18.7% on January-October 2021, and Croatia produced 138,988t, down by 1.7%.

Special steelmaker Slovenian Steel Group (SIJ) said earlier it anticipated a 40% reduction in production volumes in the fourth quarter due to extremely high energy costs and customers being unlikely to accept still higher steel prices (see Kallanish passim).

HBIS Group Serbia Iron & Steel’s production in January-September was stable and the firm has increased exports to the EU, despite the energy crisis and global logistical problems. In July, the plant nevertheless idled blast furnace No.1 at its Smederevo works due to low global demand for steel products (see Kallanish passim).

Svetoslav Abrossimov Bulgaria