Poland has experienced a significant increase in rebar imports this year, with supply from neighboring Germany driving the surge. From January to July, Polish intake of rebar from Germany surged 151% year-on-year to 225,983 tonnes, far outpacing the 88% growth in overall rebar imports to 343,390 tonnes. This represents a monthly average for German-origin rebar imports of 32,283 tonnes this year, compared to 19,629 tonnes in 2023 and 9,969 tonnes in 2022.
Despite improved demand and supply discipline from regional mills, increased import flows from neighboring countries have impacted local sales. CMC Poland reported a 35% drop in rebar sales year-on-year in its August fiscal quarter. As rebar sales in Germany have declined due to the struggling construction industry, some German mills have increased their sales activity in Poland, where market prospects are better.
Although Polish construction has also been sluggish, EU-funded National Recovery Fund projects are expected to spur investment in the sector from 2025. However, a shortage of qualified construction workers could hamper the progress of these investments. Additionally, Polish imports of HS 7213 code products from Germany surged 99% year-on-year to 120,209 tonnes, while intake of HS 7216 products rose 46% to 113,537 tonnes.