Germany Steel Sales Fall 13% in August 2025

Decline in Germany Steel Sales Highlights Market Weakness

Germany’s steel sales fell by 13% month-on-month in August 2025, signaling ongoing weakness in the market. The Bundesverband Deutscher Stahlhandel (BDS) reported total sales of 747,500 tonnes, down 6.8% compared to August 2024. Long products sales decreased 13% MoM, while flat products dropped 12%, reflecting broad demand challenges across product segments.

Steel inventories also declined slightly, showing cautious stock management amid uncertain demand. Total inventories stood at 1.87 million tonnes, down 1.1% from July and 2.7% from the previous year. Despite inventory reductions, some categories like long products held 4.7% higher stocks year-on-year, indicating supply-side complexities.

Germany Steel Production Faces Downward Pressure in 2025

Steel production in Germany continued to contract, falling nearly 11% year-on-year to 2.57 million tonnes in August. This reflects persistent challenges, including high operating costs and squeezed margins faced by producers throughout 2025. Germany remains one of the world’s top steel producers, with 37.23 million tonnes produced in 2024, but smelting volumes stayed below 40 million tonnes for the third straight year.

The downward trend in both production and sales underlines the pressure on Germany’s steel industry. Despite previous growth in output, current market conditions point to a recessionary phase. Industry bodies like WVStahl have highlighted these ongoing struggles, calling for adaptive strategies to stabilize the sector.

SuperMetalPrice Commentary:

The 13% sales drop and declining production in Germany’s steel market reveal a critical juncture for the industry. Companies must focus on cost efficiency and innovation to navigate weak demand and high input costs. Meanwhile, supply chain optimization and targeted government policies could support a sustainable recovery. Observers should watch how market players respond to these pressures as 2025 unfolds.