The main part of imports fell on flat rolled products – 126.1 thousand tons

In 2023, the Czech Republic reduced imports of rolled steel products from third countries by 8.9% compared to 2022, to 238.17 thousand tons. This is evidenced by GMK Center’s calculations based on Eurostat data.

Imports of flat products grew by 13% y/y, while imports of long products decreased by 25.2% y/y – to 126.1 thousand tons and 112.1 thousand tons, respectively. Long products accounted for over 52% of total steel imports to the Czech Republic in 2023.

Hot-rolled flat products accounted for the bulk of imports – 61.65 thousand tons (+72.2% y/y), carbon steel wire – 30.31 thousand tons (-23.6% y/y), and wire rod – 24.13 thousand tons (-10.7% y/y).

In December, imports of rolled steel products to the Czech Republic amounted to 13.4 thousand tons, up 29.8% y/y. Supplies of long products increased by 7.3% y/y – to 6.95 kt, and flat products by 67.7% y/y – to 6.42 kt.

Last year, steel exports from the Czech Republic increased by 9.6% compared to 2022, to 168.93 thousand tons. In particular, exports of long products increased by 10% y/y – to 144.75 thousand tons, and flat products – by 7.7% y/y, to 24.17 thousand tons.

The largest volume of exports falls on other rods and bars of other alloy steels; hollow rods and bars for drilling – 31.53 thousand tons (+6.6% y/y), rebar – 30.1 thousand tons (+42.3% y/y), and carbon steel wire – 27.2 thousand tons (-1.1% y/y).

In December, the Czech Republic exported 8.6 thousand tons of rolled steel, up 39.2% compared to December 2022. Exports of long products increased by 57.6% y/y – to 7.4 thousand tons, while exports of flat products decreased by 18.8% y/y – to 1.2 thousand tons.

As GMK Center reported earlier, 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 global steel producer ranking WorldSteel. The sharp decline in steel production in the country is likely due to problems at Liberty Steel Ostrava.

Steel production in the European Union amounted to 126.3 million tons in 2023, down 7.4% y/y.

Source