Crude steel production in Germany continues to decline - Electric steel: first signs of growth

Crude steel production in Germany remained under pressure in May 2025, falling by 6.4% compared to the same month last year to approximately 2.98 million tonnes, according to figures released by the German Steel Federation (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl).

The production methods reveal a mixed picture: output from the blast furnace–converter route (oxygen steel) dropped significantly by 13.1% to 1.94 million tonnes. In contrast, electric steel production – which uses scrap metal and electricity – increased by 9.3% to 1.04 million tonnes, marking its first year-on-year growth in 2025. However, this growth comes from a relatively low base.

Looking at the first five months of 2025 as a whole, crude steel production declined by 10.8% year-on-year to 14.43 million tonnes. Pig iron production fell by 13.7% to 9 million tonnes over the same period. Only hot-rolled steel products showed a slight increase in May, rising by 0.5%, though they remain down 8.3% for the year to date.

The ongoing weakness in steel output reflects broader challenges facing the German steel industry, including economic uncertainty and structural transformation pressures.

Steel Production in Germany – May 2025 (selected figures)