In November this year, Germany’s crude steel output went down by 2.6 percent year on year to 2.84 million mt, according to the information provided by the German Steel Federation Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl (WV Stahl). In the first 11 months of this year, crude steel production in Germany declined by 9.3 percent year on year to 31.35 million mt.
In the given month, Germany’s pig iron output amounted to 1.87 million mt, down by one percent, while in the January-November period it decreased by 10.7 percent to 19.89 million mt, both on year-on-year basis.
In November, the country’s hot rolled steel output grew by 0.4 percent year on year to 2.50 million mt, while dropping by 6.5 percent to 27.50 million mt in the first 11 months this year, both compared to the same periods of the previous year.
WV Stahl emphasized that crude steel production in Germany continued its downward trajectory in November 2025, highlighting the persistent strain on the country’s steel industry. This confirmed that production remains well below the levels needed for sustainable capacity utilization. For the full year, output is projected to reach only around 34 million mt, marking the fourth consecutive year in which production has fallen significantly short of the 40 million mt threshold considered necessary for adequate utilization of installed capacity. As a result, overall market conditions for steel producers remain extremely challenging.
Import pressure and energy costs weigh on industry
According to WV Stahl, the industry’s difficulties are being exacerbated by intensifying import pressure on the EU steel market and persistently high energy costs at production sites. The share of steel imports in the EU market has recently climbed to around 30 percent, a level widely viewed by industry representatives as unsustainable and damaging to domestic producers’ competitiveness.
WV Stahl CEO Kerstin Maria Rippel stated the renewed decline in production is a clear warning signal. She said the figures underline the severe consequences of inadequate location conditions for steelmaking in Germany, adding that rising import pressure is placing the entire European steel industry under acute stress.
Against this backdrop, Rippel urged swift and decisive action at EU level. She stressed that the European Commission’s proposed safeguard measures for steel trade must be implemented rapidly and without dilution, warning that the sector cannot afford further delays. With production continuing to fall month by month, she argued that every week counts and called on the European Parliament and EU member states to take decisions that are now critical for the survival of the industry.
