ArcelorMittal plans restart at Fos-sur-Mer in December after site incident
Following the October 8 fire incident at its Fos-sur-Mer facility in France, ArcelorMittal has confirmed that the immediate priority remains securing site operations, which is expected to be completed by the end of the week.
The company stated that it is working closely with local authorities and internal teams to ensure all safety and environmental protocols are met before any production activities resume.
Due to the incident, several operations have been temporarily modified. The blast furnace and steelworks remain shut down, while the urban chain has extended its scheduled maintenance shutdown. In the meantime, the coking plant continues operations using its own gas and the belt train, finishing, and logistics departments remain active to process and ship existing inventory.
ArcelorMittal’s site teams are currently dismantling and rebuilding damaged infrastructure. Based on current analysis and material supply timelines, the company aims to partially restart the steelworks in early December.
A full return to normal operations is still under review and will depend on repair progress and supply chain stability.
To reduce disruption, some orders have been transferred to other ArcelorMittal plants across Europe, and slabs are being sourced externally to cover end-of-year production needs.
Steel Derivatives issue highlighted at FFDM’s 18th convention in Paris
EUROMETAL had the pleasure of participating in the 18th Convention of the FFDM (Fédération française de la distribution et de la transformation des métaux), held on Thursday, 25 September 2025, in Paris at the Tour MGEN Auditorium.
Under the theme “Tempête géopolitique : garder le cap” (“Geopolitical storm: staying on course”), the convention brought together over 200 participants from across the French metals value chain, including distributors, processors, industry leaders, economists, and policymakers.
During the official keynote address, FFDM President Laurent Noirclerc gave special attention to EUROMETAL’s recent initiative to identify steel derivative products flooding the European market — often bypassing safeguard measures, undermining ecological objectives, and ultimately threatening the integrity of the EU distribution chain. His endorsement reinforces the growing recognition that derivative imports are a critical blind spot in current EU trade and environmental regulations.
The day featured a series of high-level presentations, including insights from:
- Sylvie Bermann, former French Ambassador to China, the UK, and Russia, on the shifting global order.
- Arnaud Montebourg, former French Minister of Economy, on reindustrialisation and “Made in France” strategy.
- Philippe Dessertine, economist, on new paths to growth amid uncertainty.
- Experts from the French Building Federation (FFB) and Allianz Trade provided outlooks on construction and global risk.
The event concluded with a networking cruise along the Seine aboard the Paquebot des Yachts de Paris, fostering further exchange between participants.
French longs consumption stays weak on negative sentiment
The post-summer holiday lull in the French steel market is dragging on, with uncertainty and political instability weighing heavily on sentiment.
Market participants report little appetite for new purchasing, as buyers continue to adopt a cautious attitude. Transaction prices remain largely unchanged from early-September levels, reflecting weak demand and the lack of any recovery signs, Kallanish notes.
“Steel processors and distributors are not managing to make any money, as there are practically no margins. Companies are chasing volumes and fighting, and negotiations with producers are complicated,” one market source comments. Producers of both long and flat products are attempting to push through price increases, yet buyers remain sceptical due to sluggish consumption.
A producer notes that inventories are slow to deplete, leading to stock accumulation too early in the year. Stock levels normally rise towards year-end as buyers replenish inventories before the Christmas break. However, the current slow pace of demand suggests that stock build-up is happening prematurely.
French buyers, particularly of sections, are resisting ArcelorMittal’s latest €30/tonne ($35/t) hike in European longs quotes. The French longs market remains subdued. Foreign merchant bar producers have returned with aggressive offers, putting further pressure on domestic suppliers. Merchant bar prices are currently flat at €220-230/t base delivered, excluding size extras.
Rebar values, after a brief softening at the end of last month, remain unchanged at around €600/t delivered on average, with sales limited to relatively small volumes and buyers reporting full stocks that are depleting very slowly.
Sections are similarly stable at €750/t delivered, although mills are attempting to lift offers to €770-780/t. Many customers covered their needs ahead of the proposed hikes and are in no rush to place orders. With consumption still weak, market sources doubt producers will succeed in enforcing higher prices.
Scrap prices in western Europe decreased this month by €10/t and are forecast to decrease again in October following the latest drop in Turkish scrap values.
Natalia Capra France
France’s steel product export value down 5.1 percent in H1 2025
According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the January-June period this year, France’s basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €4.91 billion, decreasing by 5.1 percent year on year and imports amounted to a value of €4.65 billion, decreasing by 12.7 percent year on year.
In the given period, France exported €643.35 million of steel pipes and tubes – down 7.2 percent, €228.62 million of cold rolled steel bars – down by one percent, €326.05 million of cold rolled steel strip – down 17.9 percent, €150.21 million of cold drawn wire – decreasing by 14.6 percent, and €456.91 million of metal structures and parts – rising by 1.8 percent, all compared to the same month of 2024.
France imported €1.02 billion of steel pipes and tubes – down 4.4 percent, €273.65 million of cold rolled steel bars – up by 5.9 percent, €341.47 million of cold rolled steel strip – dropping by 8.9 percent, €251.99 million of cold drawn wire – falling by 4.6 percent, and €1.32 billion of metal structures and parts – decreasing by 6.8 percent, all compared to the same period of 2024.
French post-holiday market reopens sluggishly, prices mostly flat
The French steel market remains subdued after the August holiday period. Prices are largely unchanged from July levels, with buyers seeing no justification for increases at this stage, Kallanish notes.
Some long product prices weakened over the summer, driven largely by competitive imports from Spain and Italy, particularly Spanish merchant bar and Italian rebar. According to one distributor, Italian rebar has at times reached southern France at discounts of up to €50/tonne ($58/t) compared to domestic prices.
French buyers are resisting ArcelorMittal’s latest, €30/t hike on European long products, as downstream demand is showing no sign of improvement. Market sentiment remains weak, with companies discouraged by sluggish steel consumption and a concerning political uncertainty which limits any investment plans.
Following a seasonally slow August, conditions are described as particularly challenging, with only “a handful of hard-fought transactions” taking place, according to one market observer.
Market participants expect prices to remain broadly stable, with scrap values likely to soften slightly. Profitability remains a key concern. Producers have announced a €20/t increase on tubes and sheets, aligning with the recent uptick in coil prices and anticipated rises on flat products driven by CBAM and the safeguard replacement measure. Buyers are currently resisting these price hike attempts.
In the longs segment, foreign merchant bar producers who attempted price increases in France in recent months have lost orders. Buyers expect this trend to persist. Current merchant bar quotes stand at €220-230/t base delivered for larger volumes, excluding size extras. Rebar prices have also softened by around €10-15/t since mid-July. They are now at €590-610/t delivered, depending on volume. Sections prices remain stable at €760/t delivered.
A major buyer reports he will not place orders for long products in France at higher prices, citing weak downstream demand and tight margins. While volumes are “not that bad”, low profitability is driving many firms to pressure producers to maintain values.
Natalia Capra France
France’s steel trade weakens in early 2025, while metal industry output edges up in June
In the January–May 2025 period, France recorded declines in both steel product imports and exports, according to data from the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry.
Basic steel product and ferroalloy imports totaled €3.91 billion, down 12.7% year on year. Key categories included €852 million of steel pipes and tubes (-6.3%), €225.18 million of cold rolled steel bars (+3.9%), €283.34 million of cold rolled steel strip (-9.7%), €211.73 million of cold drawn wire (-3.8%), and €1.11 billion of metal structures and parts (-5.4%).
Exports of basic steel products and ferroalloys reached €4.01 billion in the same period, representing a 4.9% drop compared to the previous year. France shipped €524.89 million of steel pipes and tubes (-8.9%), €189.03 million of cold rolled steel bars (-0.9%), €265.54 million of cold rolled steel strip (-23.9%), €124.47 million of cold drawn wire (-13.9%), and €372.02 million of metal structures and parts (-0.6%).
Meanwhile, the latest figures from France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) show that manufacturing output in June 2025 increased 3.5% month on month, following a 1.2% decline in May. In the April–June quarter, manufacturing output was up 0.2% year on year and 0.7% compared to the previous quarter.
Production in the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products rose 0.2% in June after falling 2.4% in May. The motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers sector saw a 1.1% monthly increase in June, reversing a 1.9% drop in May. In contrast, construction output fell 0.4% month on month in June, following a 0.5% decrease in May, and was 1.1% lower in the April–June quarter compared to the first quarter.
France’s steel trade declines in Q1 2025
According to data released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, both imports and exports of basic steel products and ferroalloys in France declined in value during the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
From January to March 2025, France imported basic steel products and ferroalloys worth €2.36 billion, representing a year-on-year decrease of 11.1 percent. Within this total, imports of steel pipes and tubes amounted to €510.1 million, down 6.8 percent compared to the same period last year. Imports of cold rolled steel bars fell by 3.11 percent to €131.14 million, while cold rolled steel strip imports declined by 8.3 percent to €174.2 million. Cold drawn wire imports decreased by 3.5 percent to €127.2 million, and metal structures and parts saw a 5 percent drop, reaching €676.9 million.
On the export side, France shipped out basic steel products and ferroalloys worth €2.42 billion in the first quarter, marking a 5.1 percent decline year on year. Steel pipe and tube exports amounted to €318.4 million, down 6.44 percent. Cold rolled steel bar exports dropped by 5.4 percent to €112.1 million, while exports of cold rolled steel strip saw a sharp decline of 30.4 percent, totaling €152.3 million. Cold drawn wire exports were down 10.4 percent to €77 million, and exports of metal structures and parts slightly decreased by 0.12 percent to €222 million.
The overall decline in both import and export values reflects ongoing pressure on the French steel sector, driven by softer demand, market volatility, and cost-related challenges across Europe and globally.
France’s steel trade value declines in Jan–Feb
According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the January-February period this year France’s basic steel product and ferroalloy imports amounted to a value of €1.54 billion, decreasing by 12.4 percent year on year.
In the given period, France imported €329.28 million of steel pipes and tubes – down 9.6 percent, €87.73 million of cold rolled steel bars – down by 0.9 percent, €114.09 million of cold rolled steel strip – dropping by 10.5 percent, €82.37 million of cold drawn wire – falling by 6.6 percent, and €431.13 million of metal structures and parts – decreasing by 8.3 percent, all compared to the same period of 2024.
Exports
In the January-February period, France’s basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €1.62 billion, decreasing by 3.8 percent year on year.
In the given period, France exported €210.28 million of steel pipes and tubes – down 5.5 percent, €75.12 million of cold rolled steel bars – down by 4.9 percent, €94.43 million of cold rolled steel strip – down 32.3 percent, €50.55 million of cold drawn wire – decreasing by 10.9 percent, and €141.13 million of metal structures and parts – up by 1.9 percent, all compared to the same period of 2024.
ArcelorMittal to cut 600 jobs in France amid escalating steel crisis in Europe
Europe’s largest steelmaker announced plans to eliminate approximately 600 jobs at ArcelorMittal France North sites, notably Dunkirk, Florange, Basse-Indre, Mardyck, Mouzon, Desvres and Montataire.
The number of affected jobs, however, is not final and might change.
“At this stage though, it is too early to quantify the number of people who might be affected,” ArcelorMittal said.
The measures are necessary “to adapt [the company’s] activity to the new market context and ensure its future competitiveness,” ArcelorMittal said.
The company deemed market conditions in the European steel market as a major driver behind the decision, Fastmarkets understands.
“As the European steel industry is facing a crisis marked by a 20% drop in demand over five years and a sharp rise in imports, which now account for 30% of the market, ArcelorMittal France North must continuously review its efficiency and competitiveness,” the statement reads.
Affected facilities
ArcelorMittal did not announce any immediate plans to cut production at affected sites when contacted by Fastmarkets on April 24.
There are three BFs at the Dunkirk site with combined capacity for about 6.9 million tonnes per year of pig iron. Only BFs 3 and 4 have been operational recently, however. BF2, with capacity for 1.4 million tpy of pig iron, has been idled since June 2022, Fastmarkets understands. The site can produce 4.6 million tpy of hot-rolled coil.
The Florange site can produce up to 2.8 million tonnes of flat steel products a year, including hot-rolled, cold-rolled, galvanized coil and tinplate.
The Madryk site is equipped with pickling and cold-rolling mill and two galvanizing lines. Estimated yearly output at the site is over 3 million tonnes of flat steel products.
The Desvers site can produce around 400,000 tonnes of galvanized coil per year.
The Basse-Indre site produces tinned and electrolytic chromium steel coils and sheets.
The Montataire site has three galvanizing lines and one organic coating line, with a total capacity of over 1 million tonnes of coated coil per year.
And Mouzon site has two lines to produce corrosion resistant flat steel products.
European steel sector struggles
The European steel sector has been facing rising production costs, increased pressure from low-cost imports from Asia and the ongoing deterioration of the steel demand-supply balance in Europe, sources told Fastmarkets.
ArcelorMittal is not the only one European steel producer who has been planning job cuts recently.
In April 2025, Tata Steel Netherlands announced plans to eliminate 1,600 jobs, Fastmarkets reported.
In November 2024, Germany’s largest steelmaker, Thyssenkrupp, announced plans to reduce its steel output and cut around 11,000 jobs to adapt to the fundamental changes taking place across the European steel market.
The EU steel industry reduced its capacity by 9 million tonnes per year in 2024, while also announcing 18,000 job cuts, according to European steel association Eurofer.
Crude steel production across Europe amounted to 136.30 million tonnes in 2022, down from 152.60 million tonnes in 2021, according to data from worldsteel. The decline was due to massive output cuts that were implemented by European mills in the third and fourth quarters of 2022 amid deteriorating demand and falling steel prices.
Steel output rebounded slightly to 129.5 million tonnes in 2024, compared with 126.3 million tonnes in 2023, according to worldsteel. But the total volume was still below the 159.4 million tonnes recorded pre-Covid in 2019.
Apparent steel consumption in the EU amounted to 127 million tonnes in 2024, down by 2.3% from 130 million tonnes in 2023 and lower than during the 2020 pandemic year, when it stood at 129 million tonnes, data from the European steel association Eurofer shows.
Real steel consumption shrunk by 3.8% in 2024 to around 132.7 million tonnes, from around 138 million tonnes in 2023.
While steel consumption in the EU decreased, the share of steel imports in the European market has been rising, crowding out local supply, sources noted.
Carbon steel imports to the EU in 2024 totaled 26.36 million tonnes, up by 6.4% compared with 24.78 million tonnes in 2023, Eurofer data showed.
In March this year, the European Commission presented a Steel and Metals Action Plan to support the struggling industry, but it remains to be seen how the plan will be implemented and what results it will bring.
One of the plan’s pillars is tailoring trade policies to protect struggling European market from unfair imports.
On April 1, the EU Commission introduced new, tighter, steel safeguard measures to support the domestic steel sector.
And on April 7 the EU imposed anti-dumping duties on imports of hot-rolled coil from Egypt, Vietnam and Japan.
Europe’s steel sector remains at the heart of many regional economies, with approximately 500 production sites across 22 EU member states.
According to EU data, the European steel sector contributes around €80 billion to the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) and supports more than 2.5 million jobs.
Automotive sector woes threaten French car components producers
The French automotive sector is facing significant pressure from stringent EU environmental regulations, ambitious energy transition targets, declining competitiveness, and the US imposition of a 25% tariff on car imports.
These factors are prompting car manufacturers to explore the option of sourcing more affordable components from outside the EU, threatening domestic manufacturing.
French passenger car and light commercial vehicles (LCV) combined production decreased by 10% last year compared to 2023, says French carmakers’ association Organisation Internationale Des Constructeurs Automobiles (OICA).
The country’s automakers produced 910,243 passenger cars in 2024, reflecting a decrease of 11%. LCV output in 2024 declined 7% to 447, 458 units. Overall production stood at 1,357,701 vehicles, down from 1,505,079 in 2023.
According to local automotive component makers association FIEV, the situation in Europe and France is concerning. National production falling to 1.3 million vehicles in 2024 reflects a collapse of 63% since 2002 and 38% since 2020, FIEV president Jean-Louis Pech warned during a senate hearing last week.
More than 70% of FIEV members believe their production in France and Europe is in danger. 55% have already recognised the possibility that French and European automakers may start sourcing components from lower-cost competitors outside of Europe, according to a survey conducted in March.
In 2024, employment in the car component manufacturing sector in France decreased to approximately 56,000 jobs, reflecting a 17% decline relative to 2019 levels.
Since January 2024, approximately 7,300 jobs have been eliminated or are at risk due to restructuring initiatives or site closures. At the European level, 42% of suppliers anticipate operating at a loss in 2025, FIEV says in a document obtained by Kallanish.
The period of high inflation from 2022 to 2024 significantly widened the competitive disparity between European and Asian suppliers. Besides the US 25% car import duty, European equipment manufacturers are suffering from a general decline in vehicle production and slow offtake of electric vehicles in Europe.
The association is calling for the implementation of a baseline requirement of 75-80% of “made in Europe” content in vehicles. It is also seeking solid European measures to enhance the competitiveness of the automotive sector, especially amid the shift towards electric vehicles.
This can be achieved by executing a European investment strategy modelled after the American IRA. This includes measures such as lowering energy costs, decreasing mandatory salary deductions and production taxes in France, and simplifying access to financing, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.
