Apparent steel use in the European Union will increase by 11.2% year on year in 2021, the European steel association Eurofer said in the week to Monday August 16.
The association has downgraded the outlook slightly
compared to figures publishedin May 2021.
In its previous outlook, Eurofer expected the EU's apparent steel consumption toincrease by 11.7% year on year in 2021.
The association also forecast a more moderate rise of 3.7% in 2022 (down from a prediction 4.9% growth in the previous outlook), "when [apparent steel consumption] is expected to return above 2017 levels thanks to continued improvement in demand from steel-using sectors," the release said.
Eurofer expects EU apparent steel consumption to reach 143 million tonnes in 2021 and 149 million tonnes in 2022.
Steel imports into the EU have been volatile since the beginning of 2021.
In the first quarter of 2021, total imports of finished products into the EU...