German crude steel production is growing in the first half of the year, W. V. Stahl says the industry needs stronger demand and competitive energy prices.

In June of this year, German steel production increased by 9.5 percent year-on-year to 2.93 million tons, according to data released by the German Steel Federation (WV Stahl). In the first half of 2026, German steel production increased by 8.9 percent year-on-year to 18.63 million tons.

In June, German pig iron production totaled 1.73 million tons, an increase of 6.3% year-on-year, while production in the period from January to June increased by 9.3% to 11.63 million tons.

Meanwhile, the country's hot-rolled steel production increased by eight percent year-on-year to 2.69 million tons in June and increased by 5.4 percent to 16.11 million tons in the first six months of the year.

WV Stahl says recovery remains fragile

WV Stahl stated that despite positive developments, observed in recent months, it is still too early to declare a full recovery. The Federation noted that annual crude steel production currently stands at 37.7 million tons, remaining below the threshold of 40 million tons, which is generally considered necessary for adequate capacity utilization in the steel industry. He also cautioned that the recent improvement does not yet indicate a sustainable recovery, adding that annual crude steel production is still projected at around 37 million tons, below the level considered necessary for economically viable capacity utilization.

According to Kerstin Maria Rieppel, CEO of WV Stahl, the increase in production mainly reflects