Exports of steel products in November fell 26.3% per year
In November 2023, the Czech Republic increased imports of rolled steel products from third countries by 12.8% compared to November 2022, to 20.04 thousand tons. This is based on Compraço's calculations based on Eurostat data.
In November, imports of flat products increased by 81.5% year-on-year, while imports of long products decreased by 32.7% year-on-year – to 12.84 kt and 7.2 kt, respectively. Flat products represented around 64% of total steel imports to the Czech Republic in November.
Hot-rolled flat products represented the majority of imports in November, with 6.8 thousand tons (+141.2% per year), coated products – 2.38 thousand tons (+24.2% per year) and wire carbon steel – 2.27 thousand tons (-26.9% per year).
In January-November, imports of rolled products to the Czech Republic amounted to 224.81 thousand tons, a decrease of 10.5% compared to the same period in 2022. Imports of long products fell by 26.7% per year – to 105.12 thousand tons during this period. , while imports of flat products increased by 11% compared to the previous year – to 119.69 thousand tons.
The main types of products imported by Czech consumers in the 11 months of 2023 are:
- hot-rolled flat products – 58.9 thousand tons (+71.3% per year);
- hot-rolled carbon steel rebars and bars, in bundles – 22.7 thousand tons (-12.3% per year);
- cold-rolled flat products – 20.23 thousand tons (+34.8% per year);
- coated flat rolled products – 17.2 thousand tons (-33% per year).
In November 2023, steel exports from the Czech Republic decreased by 26.3% compared to the previous year – to 10.65 thousand tons. Shipments of long products decreased by 33.5% per year – to 8.33 thousand tons, while shipments of flat products increased by 21.3% per year – to 2.32 thousand tons. In January-November, the number increased by 9% per year, to 161.2 thousand tons, in particular, flat products – 9.7% per year, to 22.99 thousand tons, and long products – 8.9% per year , to 138.23 thousand tons.
The largest exports were other rebars and bars made of other steel alloys, hollow rebars and bars for drilling – 31.34 thousand tons (+8.5% per year), and other rebars and bars of carbon steel, without additional processing, twisted – 25.27 thousand tons (-2.4% per year).
In 2023, the Czech Republic reduced steel production by 21.1% compared to 2022, to 3.4 million tons. As a result, the country ranked 39th in the world ranking of WorldSteel steel producers. The sharp decline in steel production in the country is likely due to problems at Liberty Steel Ostrava.
