Giuseppe Pasini, chairman of Italian steelmakers association Federacciai, has commented on the Italian steel production figures for the first two months of 2011, while also expressing his views on the North African markets.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, Italian crude steel production in January-February increased by 7.4 percent year on year to 4.4 million mt, while global crude steel production rose by 8.8 percent to 117 million mt. Meanwhile, the average growth rate in crude steel output in the EU reached 7.9 percent in the same period.
Libya, according to Mr. Pasini, does not represent a main export market for Italian steel producers, while "steel exports to Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt are expected to recover in the next few months, once the political turmoil which toppled the presidents in Tunisia and Egypt subsides." This would cause Italian steel exports to follow a stable trend in 2011, he added.
Regarding the latest trends in the Italian domestic market, the Federacciai chairman stated that demand for flat steel, special steel and stainless steel has increased at a strong pace, while demand for long steel is still depressed in line with the general climate in the local construction industry.
Finally, Pasini stated that in the second half of the current year Italian steel production could surge, and, with a 15-20 percent year-on year growth, national output would return to pre-crisis levels.