Germany produced slightly more crude steel in August than a year earlier, but the two main production routes moved in different directions. Scrap-based electric furnace output rose by 13 per cent, while steel made through the traditional blast furnace route declined.
German steel production continues to recover, although progress remains modest and uneven. Mills produced just under 2.6 million tonnes of crude steel in August, up 1.7 per cent from the same month in 2025. Output was 3 per cent lower than in July.
The figures come from the industry association Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl, which describes the increase as a cautious recovery after several years of falling production and weak demand.
From January to August, German mills produced a total of 23.9 million tonnes of crude steel, 6.3 per cent more than in the same period last year. At an annualised rate, that would amount to approximately 35.9 million tonnes.
Output nevertheless remains historically low. Germany produced 34.1 million tonnes of crude steel in 2025, around 9 per cent less than in 2024. Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl has previously warned that annual production below 40 million tonnes leaves the industry with a p...