According to data released by the Italian steel producers association Federacciai, steel trade between Italy and non-EU countries (excluding the UK) in the January-July period this year recorded a decrease in both imports and exports compared to the same period in 2023. However, the decline in exports softened.
In particular, in the given period Italy imported 6.457 million mt of steel products from non-EU countries, down by 6.5 percent year on year, while exports amounted to 1.893 million mt, down by 6.9 percent compared the same period in 2023.
Looking closer, in the January-July period this year, imports of long products fell by 30.0 percent, while imports of flat products decreased by 5.3 percent, both year on year. As for specific products, rebar imports dropped by 9.1 percent and wire rod imports fell by 14.5 percent, year on year. The highest increase in imports was seen in organic coated sheets (+130.2 percent), while tinplate (-34.4 percent) and electro-galvanized sheets (-42.9 percent) declined significantly.
On the export side, in the January-July period, long products saw a 21.1 percent decline, while exports of flat products recorded a slight increase of 1.2 percent, both year on year. Products with the best export performances included cold rolled sheets (+52.2 percent) and chromated sheets (+100.0 percent). The most notable export declines were in rebar (-44.5 percent), wire rod (-27.6 percent), and tinplate (-27.8 percent).
1st manufacturing products recorded a 20.2 percent decrease in imports and a 9.3 percent decrease in exports. On the other hand, 2nd manufacturing products recorded a 5.5 percent reduction in imports and a slight increase of 2.3 percent in exports.
Import-export data for the January-July period of this year are shown in the table below (000/mt):
Product |
Non-EU imports |
Non-EU exports |
Balance |
|||||
Jan-Jul 2023 |
Jan-Jul 2024 |
Y-o-y change (%) |
Jan-Jul 2023 |
Jan-Jul 2024 |
Y-o-y change (%) |
Jan-Jul 2023 |
Jan-Jul 2024 |
|
Ingots and semi-finished products |
1,715 |
1,698 |
-1.0 |
139 |
172 |
+23.7 |
-1,576 |
-1,526 |
404 |
283 |
-30.0 |
498 |
393 |
-21.1 |
94 |
110 |
|
4,361 |
4,128 |
-5.3 |
495 |
501 |
+1.2 |
-3,866 |
-3,627 |
|
1st manufacturing products (*) |
371 |
296 |
-20.2 |
813 |
737 |
-9.3 |
442 |
441 |
2nd manufacturing products (**) |
55 |
52 |
-5.5 |
88 |
90 |
+2.3 |
33 |
38 |
Total |
6,906 |
6,457 |
-6.5 |
2,033 |
1,893 |
-6.9 |
-4,873 |
-4,564 |
(*) Seamless pipes, welded pipes, forged bars, cold drawn sections, and bars, drawn wire, cold rolled strips, welded sections, drawn wire.
(**) Heavy structural shapes and scaffolding material, welded sections, pipe fittings, flanges, checker plate, grit and powder.