Italy’s steel imports and exports to non-EU countries fall in January-May

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-May period this year recorded a downtrend in imports and exports.

In particular, Italy imported 4.588 million mt from non-EU countries, down by 3.2 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Exports, on the other hand, amounted to 1.328 million mt over the same period, down by 6.9 percent year on year.

Looking closer, imports of long products decreased by 36.7 percent compared to the January-May period of 2023. As for single products, imports of rebar fell by 72.7 percent and imports of wire rod fell by 23.2 percent. Imports of merchant bars were down 52.2 percent, whereas imports of sections fell by 31.6 percent. Over the same period, imports of flat products decreased by 1.6 percent. In particular, imports of electro-galvanized sheets were down by 40.0 percent, whereas imports of organic coated sheets and hot galvanized sheets were up by  113.6 percent and 56.6 percent, respectively, all year on year.

Exports of long products were down by 18.5 percent, whereas flats exports were up by 5.4 percent. The only relevant rises can be found in the exports of electro-galvanized sheets, up 66.7 percent, cold rolled sheets, up 61.5 percent, and coils in general, up 40.2 percent, year on year. The most relevant falls were recorded in exports of shipbuilding plate (-60.0%), tin plate (-42.9%), rebar (-28.6%), and wire rod (-26.5%).

1st manufacturing products recorded a 25.7 percent decrease in imports and a 13.0 percent decrease in exports. On the other hand, 2nd manufacturing products recorded a 5.4 percent decrease in imports, whereas exports remained stable.

Import-export data for the January-May period of this year are shown in the table below (000/t):

(*) 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.