Southeast Europe steel output rebounds in September

Southeast Europe (SEE) crude steel production decreased in September compared with the same month last year, according to the latest worldsteel data monitored by Kallanish. Regional output amounted to 368,602 tonnes, down by 15.6% year-on-year.

However, output was more than in August, when SEE production was 345,950t, down by 21.8% on-year (see Kallanish passim).

In January-September, regional production was almost flat on-year at 3.63 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 1.36mt in January-September, up by 18.6%.

Second-largest producer in the region Bosnia and Herzegovina saw crude steel output almost flat on-year at 680,000t.

Third-largest steel producer Slovenia saw nine-month production drop by 7.8% at 479,560t.

Fourth-largest Bulgaria’s production was flat on-year at 438,100t.

Fifth-largest steel producer Moldova saw its crude steel output down by 0.9% on-year at 423,400t.

North Macedonia produced 182,374t, less by 5.7% on January-September 2021, but Croatia produced 126,607t, almost flat on-year.

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

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