Italy’s steel imports from non-EU countries fall in Jan-Sep, exports rise

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-September period this year continued its previous trends: imports fell but exports increased.

In particular, in the given period Italy imported 8.071 million mt from non-EU countries, down by 7.6 percent compared to the same period in 2022. Exports, on the other hand, amounted to 2.463 million mt, up by 5.5 percent year on year.

Looking closer, in the January-September period this year, imports of long products decreased by 9.4 percent compared to January-September of 2022, whereas imports of flat products fell by 11.2 percent year on year. As for specific products, H-beam, parallel-flanged beam and other beam imports grew by 44.4 percent, 20.0 percent and 150.0 percent year on year, respectively. In the first nine months of the year, rebar imports rose by 162.5 percent, while wire rod imports went from 253,000 mt to 200,000 mt, showing a year-on-year decrease of 20.9 percent. Merchant bar imports fell by 11.9 percent, decreasing from 202,000 mt to 178,000 mt year on year. As for flat products, it is worth saying that imports of cold rolled sheets fell by 43.6 percent, while imports of organic-coated sheets fell by 52.1 percent year on year.

Exports for long products were up by 30.4 percent, whereas flats exports were up by 1.9 percent, year on year. In particular, rails and rigging were up by 96.3 percent, parallel-flanged beams by 125.0 percent, other beams by 166.7 percent, rebar by 68.5 percent and wire rod exports by 41.1 percent. H-beams fell by 57.1 percent, whereas merchant bars fell from 108,000 mt in January-September 2022 to 89,000 mt in the same period in 2023, decreasing by 17.6 percent. As for flats, exports saw a downtrend for coils (-51.7 percent) and chrome sheets (-75.0 percent). Hot rolled sheets and wide plates showed an uptrend, namely, increasing by 34.1 percent for a total of 240,000 mt, versus 179,000 mt in the same period of 2022.

1st manufacturing products recorded a 22.2 percent increase in imports and a 5.0 percent decrease in exports. In particular, seamless pipe imports went from 88,000 mt in the first nine months of 2022 to 134,000 mt in the same period of 2023, showing an increase of 52.3 percent. On the other hand, 2nd manufacturing products recorded a 24.2 percent decrease in imports and a 5.4 percent decrease in exports.

Import-export data for January-September this year are shown in the table below (in 000/mt):

(*) Heavy structural shapes and scaffolding material, welded sections, pipe fittings, flanges, checker plate, grit and powder.