According to the Economic and Steel Market Outlook 2018-2019/Q2 2018 Report from the Economic Committee of the European Steel Association (EUROFER), EU steel tube output grew by 7.2 percent in 2017, reflecting a temporary demand boost from pipeline projects and rather weak activity levels in 2016.
The EUROFER report stated that, in line with expectations, the boost from large welded tube demand dried up at the end of 2017. Particularly production in Germany witnessed a major downward correction compared with the elevated output levels registered in 2017. Accordingly, total EU output fell by 1.5 percent year on year in the first quarter of the current year.
According to EUROFER, in 2018 steel tube production activity in the EU is projected to stagnate at the 2017 level, while a very modest growth of 0.7 percent is currently expected in 2019. The market segment for large welded tubes will remain subdued for the time being. However, the projected fall in output of large welded tubes will be compensated for by a continued rise in production activity in the other tube segments.