en.Wedoany.com Reported - Germany's crude steel output reached 3.2 million metric tons in May 2026, up 7% year-on-year, marking the fifth consecutive month of positive growth, according to data released on June 18, 2026, by the German Steel Federation (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl). From January to May 2026, Germany's cumulative crude steel output totaled 15.7 million metric tons, an increase of 8.8% year-on-year. Despite the sustained recovery momentum, the federation stated that it cannot yet declare the crisis over, with annualized crude steel output at 37.7 million metric tons, still below the healthy capacity utilization threshold of 40 million metric tons.
Germany is Europe's largest steel producer, accounting for about a quarter of the EU's total annual crude steel output. Key players in the country's steel industry include Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, Salzgitter AG, and ArcelorMittal. Among them, Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, a subsidiary of Thyssenkrupp AG headquartered in Duisburg, is Germany's largest steel producer with an annual crude steel capacity of approximately 11 million tons. Salzgitter AG, headquartered in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony, covers steel production, processing, and trading, with an annual crude steel capacity of about 7 million tons.
Germany's crude steel output in 2025 was approximately 40 million metric tons. Since the energy crisis in 2022, the German steel industry has been hit by both high energy costs and weak demand, leading several companies to implement production cuts and layoffs. Since 2026, with falling energy prices and a recovery in downstream manufacturing demand, monthly output has been gradually rising. Federation data shows that May's output of 3.2 million metric tons was higher than April's 3.1 million metric tons and March's 3.0 million metric tons, indicating a continued positive trend. However, the annualized output of 37.7 million metric tons remains below the 40 million metric tons threshold. This threshold is considered a key indicator for assessing whether steel producers' capacity utilization is healthy—annual output below 40 million metric tons implies underutilized equipment, putting pressure on corporate profitability and potentially affecting investment and employment in the long term.
The German Steel Federation stated that energy prices, carbon emission allowance costs, and import competition from Asia remain long-term structural challenges for the industry. The sector continues to monitor the implementation progress of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and its impact on the international competitiveness of European domestic steel producers. The five consecutive months of output recovery indicate that the German steel industry is gradually emerging from its trough, but the recovery foundation remains fragile, and a full rebound still faces multiple tests.
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