In September, Italian steel production increased by 2.1% year-on-year to 1.9 million tons, breaking a two-month decline. Such data was published on October 20 by the Italian Federation of steel companies Federacciai.
In the first nine months of 2026, Italian enterprises produced 15.9 million tons of steel, which is 2.4% more than in the same period of 2025. Import measures introduced by the European Commission in July have become a support for local producers. They appeared against the background of weak demand, pressure from imported products and high energy prices in the European steel market.
The recovery in output may indicate a slight reduction in supply in Italy, the country with the highest per capita steel consumption and the second largest production in Europe after Germany.
The output of long—rolled products, including rebars and wire rods, widely used in construction, remained at the level of last year in September - 1.2 million tons. In January—September, the production of these products reached 9.6 million tons, an increase of 4.7% year-on-year. This reflects relatively steady demand from the Italian construction industry and infrastructure projects.
On the contrary, the production of hot-rolled flat products has sharply decreased. In September, it fell by 17% year-on-year, to 736 thousand tons. The recession has increased pressure on the segment, whose products are in demand in the automotive industry, household appliances and mechanical engineering. In the first nine months of 2026, the output of flat rolled products amounted to 6.5 million tons, which is 4.2% less than in the same period of 2025.
The continued decline in the production of flat rolled products in Italy reflects the general problems of European full-cycle steel mills, which are faced with a weakening of the automotive sector. The sustainability of long-range production, in turn, is linked to continued investments in Italian infrastructure projects, including through the six-year National Recovery and Sustainability Plan (PNRR).
According to Platts, a division of S&P Global Energy, on October 19, the price of an Italian-made hot-rolled roll on a free-of-charge basis was 740 euros per ton. She hadn't changed in a day. Imported hot-rolled coils in Southern Europe were valued at 595 euros per ton on CIF terms; this price also remained unchanged.
Author: Annalisa Villa
