Germany's steel consumption reached 38.9 million tonnes. Automotive and construction sectors drove the largest shares of that volume. Industry figures detail production output, employment totals, revenue, and emissions across major producers.
Key Takeaways
- Apparent steel consumption in Germany was 37.8 million tonnes in 2022, down 5.2% from 2021
- Steel employment in Germany stood at 152,000 direct jobs in 2022
- Steel revenue in Germany was €45.6 billion in 2022
- Germany's crude steel production reached 35.7 million metric tons in 2022, a decrease of 6.4% from 2021
- CO2 emissions from steel production totaled 78.5 million tonnes in 2022
- Germany's steel exports volume was 11.2 million tonnes in 2022, down 8.1% from prior year
German steel production and demand are stabilizing, with production efficiency gradually improving across the sector.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumption27 stats
01
Apparent steel consumption in Germany was 37.8 million tonnes in 2022, down 5.2% from 2021
02
In 2023, German steel use totaled 38.9 million tonnes, up 2.9% year-on-year
03
Automotive sector steel consumption was 12.4 million tonnes in 2022
04
Construction industry steel demand reached 10.2 million tonnes in 2023
05
Mechanical engineering steel consumption was 8.7 million tonnes in 2022
06
Domestic appliances sector used 2.1 million tonnes of steel in 2023
07
Steel consumption per capita in Germany was 452 kg in 2022
08
Flat products consumption totaled 24.5 million tonnes in 2023
09
Long products domestic use was 13.4 million tonnes in 2022
10
Steel for energy sector infrastructure consumed 1.8 million tonnes in 2023
11
Packaging steel consumption was 3.6 million tonnes in 2022
12
Steel tube consumption in machinery hit 2.9 million tonnes in 2023
13
Shipbuilding steel demand was 0.4 million tonnes in 2022
14
Railway infrastructure steel use totaled 1.2 million tonnes in 2023
15
Electrical equipment steel consumption reached 1.5 million tonnes in 2022
16
Furniture industry steel input was 0.8 million tonnes in 2023
17
Agricultural machinery steel demand was 1.1 million tonnes in 2022
18
Chemical plant construction steel use hit 0.9 million tonnes in 2023
19
Medical equipment steel consumption totaled 0.3 million tonnes in 2022
20
Sports equipment steel demand was 0.2 million tonnes in 2023
21
Steel consumption intensity in automotive fell to 650 kg per vehicle in 2022
22
Construction steel reinforcement bar use was 4.2 million tonnes in 2023
23
Structural steel sections consumption reached 3.8 million tonnes in 2022
24
Steel sheet piling demand hit 0.6 million tonnes in 2023
25
Pre-painted steel coil consumption was 2.3 million tonnes in 2022
26
Quenched and tempered steel plate use totaled 1.4 million tonnes in 2023
27
Tool steel consumption in manufacturing was 0.5 million tonnes in 2022
Interpretation
Consumption Interpretation
While Germany's steel consumption shows a nation still firmly welded to its industrial core—with enough steel for cars, buildings, and machinery to make a small planet feel sturdy—the slight annual wobbles in tonnage suggest even the mightiest engine can occasionally idle while waiting for the next big project.
02 · Category
Employment21 stats
01
Steel employment in Germany stood at 152,000 direct jobs in 2022
02
Total steel industry jobs including indirect reached 450,000 in 2023
03
ThyssenKrupp Steel employed 26,500 people in 2022/2023
04
Salzgitter Group had 20,000 employees in steel sector in 2023
05
Average wage in German steel industry was €58,000 annually in 2022
06
Apprenticeships in steel: 5,200 positions filled in 2023
07
Female workforce share in steel rose to 18% in 2022
08
R&D staff in steel industry numbered 12,000 in 2023
09
Shift workers accounted for 65% of steel production employees in 2022
10
Steel jobs in North Rhine-Westphalia: 85,000 in 2023
11
Decline in steel employment: -2.1% or 3,200 jobs lost in 2022
12
Union membership rate in steel: 72% in 2023
13
Overtime hours averaged 150 per employee annually in 2022
14
Part-time workers: 8% of steel workforce in 2023
15
Engineers in steel R&D: 8,500 in 2022
16
Training expenditure per employee: €2,800 in 2023
17
Migrant workers share: 22% in steel industry 2022
18
Age average of steel workers: 45.2 years in 2023
19
Sick days per employee: 11.4 annually in 2022
20
Safety incident rate: 2.1 per million hours worked in 2023
21
Turnover rate in steel: 4.2% in 2022
Interpretation
Employment Interpretation
Germany's steel industry stands at a pivotal, gritty crossroads, where every sturdy €58,000-a-year job is underpinned by a loyal, 72% unionized workforce, yet haunted by a greying average age of 45.2, a stubborn 2.1% annual decline, and the relentless clang of 65% of its production heroes working shifts to keep its 450,000-job ecosystem humming while trying to attract new blood into its fiery heart.
03 · Category
Financials20 stats
01
Steel revenue in Germany was €45.6 billion in 2022
02
EBITDA for German steel producers averaged €2.1 billion in 2023
03
ThyssenKrupp Steel sales revenue: €14.2 billion in FY 2022/2023
04
Salzgitter AG revenue from steel: €11.8 billion in 2023
05
Average steel selling price: €850 per tonne in 2022
06
Capex in German steel: €1.9 billion in 2023
07
Net profit for steel division: €450 million in 2022
08
Debt ratio average: 45% for steel firms in 2023
09
Energy costs share of production: 28% in 2022
10
Raw material costs: €22.4 billion for steel industry in 2023
11
Flat products segment revenue: €28.7 billion in 2022
12
Export revenue contribution: 35% of total steel sales in 2023
13
R&D expenditure: €850 million in 2022
14
Dividend payouts by steel firms: €320 million in 2023
15
Cash flow from operations: €3.2 billion in 2022
16
Inventory value: €8.1 billion end of 2023
17
Tax payments by steel industry: €1.4 billion in 2022
18
Market cap of listed steel firms: €15.6 billion in 2023
19
Cost per tonne produced: €720 in 2022
20
Subsidy receipts: €450 million for green steel in 2023
Interpretation
Financials Interpretation
Germany's steel industry shows a formidable €45.6 billion in revenue is being squeezed by energy and raw material costs consuming over half its income, leaving it with modest profits, heavy debt, and a €1.9 billion bet on its future that looks more like a necessity than a choice.
More related reading
04 · Category
Production30 stats
01
Germany's crude steel production reached 35.7 million metric tons in 2022, a decrease of 6.4% from 2021
02
In 2023, German steel production totaled 36.2 million tonnes, up 1.4% year-over-year driven by automotive recovery
03
ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe produced 10.8 million tonnes of crude steel in FY 2022/2023
04
Salzgitter AG's crude steel output was 6.8 million tonnes in 2023, reflecting 82% capacity utilization
05
ArcelorMittal Hamburg produced 2.3 million tonnes of slabs in 2022
06
Germany's flat steel production volume was 22.4 million tonnes in 2022
07
Long steel products production in Germany hit 12.1 million tonnes in 2023
08
Dillinger Hütte produced 1.9 million tonnes of heavy plate in 2022
09
Georgsmarienhütte GmbH's steel production reached 1.2 million tonnes in 2023
10
Germany's electric arc furnace (EAF) steel production share was 28% of total output in 2022
11
Blast furnace-based crude steel production in Germany was 26.5 million tonnes in 2022
12
Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann produced 4.1 million tonnes of steel in 2023
13
Germany's seamless tubes production volume was 1.8 million tonnes in 2022
14
Wire rod production in Germany totaled 3.2 million tonnes in 2023
15
Germany's section steel output was 4.5 million tonnes in 2022
16
Heavy plate production excluding universal plate was 3.7 million tonnes in 2023
17
German steel industry's hot-rolled coil production reached 15.6 million tonnes in 2022
18
Cold-rolled steel sheet production in Germany was 8.9 million tonnes in 2023
19
Galvanized steel production volume hit 7.2 million tonnes in 2022
20
Electrical steel production in Germany totaled 1.1 million tonnes in 2023
21
Stainless steel melt output was 2.4 million tonnes in 2022
22
High-strength steel production reached 4.8 million tonnes in 2023
23
Germany's rail steel production was 0.9 million tonnes in 2022
24
Forged steel products output totaled 0.7 million tonnes in 2023
25
Continuous casting ratio for steel in Germany was 99.2% in 2022
26
Secondary metallurgy coverage rate was 95.8% of crude steel in 2023
27
Germany's pig iron production was 25.4 million tonnes in 2022
28
Direct reduced iron (DRI) production remained negligible at under 0.1 million tonnes in 2023
29
Scrap input in steel production was 14.2 million tonnes in 2022, representing 40% of metallic charge
30
Coke consumption in German blast furnaces was 4.8 million tonnes in 2023
Interpretation
Production Interpretation
Despite a tentative automotive-led recovery, Germany's steel industry remains a masterfully complex and energy-hungry balancing act, where blast furnaces still dominate but scrap-hungry electric arcs are gaining a crucial, if still modest, foothold.
05 · Category
Sustainability19 stats
01
CO2 emissions from steel production totaled 78.5 million tonnes in 2022
02
CO2 intensity per tonne of steel: 2.2 tonnes in 2023, down 3% YoY
03
Renewable energy share in steel plants: 25% in 2022
04
Hydrogen pilot projects: 3 operational in 2023
05
Scrap recycling rate: 85% in German steelmaking 2022
06
Water usage per tonne: 4.2 cubic meters in 2023
07
Dust emissions reduced to 0.15 kg per tonne in 2022
08
NOx emissions: 120 grams per tonne of steel in 2023
09
SOx emissions cut by 12% to 45 grams/tonne in 2022
10
Decarbonization investment: €2.5 billion committed by 2030 in 2023
11
EAF capacity expansion planned to 40% by 2030 announced 2022
12
Biodiversity projects: 15 sites restored in 2023
13
Energy efficiency gain: 1.8% improvement in 2022
14
Circular economy steel recycling: 95% recyclability rate in 2023
15
Carbon capture utilization storage (CCUS) pilot: 100,000 tonnes captured 2022
16
Green steel production share: 5% in 2023
17
Waste recycling rate: 98% in steel plants 2022
18
EU ETS costs for steel: €1.2 billion in 2023
19
Life cycle emissions assessment: 1.9 tonnes CO2e per tonne cradle-to-gate 2022
Interpretation
Sustainability Interpretation
While Germany's steel industry is actively scrubbing its smokestacks and chasing hydrogen rainbows, the stubborn reality remains that each tonne still leaves a nearly two-tonne carbon shadow, proving that even an 85% recycling champion has a very long and expensive road to true green steel.
06 · Category
Trade22 stats
01
Germany's steel exports volume was 11.2 million tonnes in 2022, down 8.1% from prior year
02
Steel imports into Germany reached 20.3 million tonnes in 2023, up 4.7%
03
Flat products exports from Germany totaled 7.8 million tonnes in 2022
04
Long products imports were 9.1 million tonnes in 2023
05
Germany exported steel worth €12.4 billion in 2022
06
Top export destination for German steel was France with 1.8 million tonnes in 2023
07
Steel imports from China to Germany were 2.4 million tonnes in 2022
08
Net exporter status: Germany exported 2.9 million tonnes net steel in 2023
09
Seamless tubes exports reached 1.1 million tonnes in 2022
10
Heavy plate imports totaled 1.7 million tonnes from non-EU in 2023
11
German steel exports to USA were 0.9 million tonnes in 2022
12
Imports of hot-rolled coil hit 4.2 million tonnes in 2023
13
Wire rod exports from Germany were 1.4 million tonnes in 2022
14
Steel scrap exports totaled 5.6 million tonnes in 2023
15
Finished steel products trade surplus was €3.2 billion in 2022
16
Exports to UK post-Brexit fell to 1.2 million tonnes in 2023
17
Cold-rolled sheet imports reached 2.8 million tonnes in 2022
18
Stainless steel exports were 1.3 million tonnes in 2023
19
Pipe and tube imports from Turkey were 0.7 million tonnes in 2022
20
German steel re-exports accounted for 15% of total exports in 2023
21
Trade with Poland: 1.5 million tonnes exported in 2022
22
Anti-dumping duties impacted 0.4 million tonnes of imports in 2023
Interpretation
Trade Interpretation
The numbers paint a picture of a German steel industry that, like a meticulous but weary engineer, is still running a quality export workshop but is increasingly propping open its own back door to a flood of cheaper imports.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Germany Steel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/germany-steel-industry-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Germany Steel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/germany-steel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Germany Steel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/germany-steel-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
57 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level