A significant drop in steel production
In 2024, steel production in Italy registered a significant decline, with an overall decrease of 5% compared to the previous year. According to data provided by Federacciai, the month of December showed an 8.8% reduction in production on an annual basis, totaling about 1.2 million tons. This negative trend has raised concerns among operators in the sector, who wonder what could be the causes of this decline
.
Laminate analysis: trends and variations
Long laminates, mainly intended for the construction sector, showed a slight decline of 4.7%, reaching a total of 682 thousand tons. On the other hand, flat laminates, used mainly in automotive and mechanical engineering, experienced a more marked decline of 9.7%, with a production of 8.6 million tons. However, it is interesting to note that, despite the overall reduction, flat laminates have interrupted their downward trend since February, marking an increase of 3.2% year-on-year in December, reaching 639 thousand
tons.
Total production and sectors involved
Overall, Italian steel mills produced about 20 million tons of steel in 2024. Hot rolled products, mainly intended for the construction sector, maintained their 2023 volumes with a slight decrease of 0.2%, totaling 11.7 million tons. These data suggest that, despite the difficulties, some segments of the market are showing signs of resilience, which could indicate a possible recovery in the coming months
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Future Prospects and Economic Impacts
On, Istat reported a 2.6% increase in construction production in November compared to October. In the September-November 2024 quarter, growth was 1.4% compared to the previous quarter. The index adjusted for calendar effects increased by 3.6% per year, while the crude index grew by 0.1%. These data suggest that, despite the challenges faced in 2024, there are signs of optimism for the future of steel production in Italy, with the possibility of a recovery supported by growth in
the construction sector.