BERLIN: Germany, the next largest steel purchasing countries are Belgium (12%), France (9%), the United Kingdom (8%) and the United States (6%). In 2017, steel exports to the US amounted to 570 million euros.
Not all steel that is exported by the Netherlands is produced locally. A large share is initially imported and, possibly after some processing, leaves the country again. These so-called re-exports generate considerably less revenue for the Dutch economy than the export of Dutch-made products. Altogether, the Netherlands exported 9 billion euros worth of steel in 2017, the bulk of which was domestically produced with a minor share constituting re-exports. Domestically produced goods also include foreign goods which have undergone major processing in the Netherlands.
One-quarter to half of all exports to nearby destinations are re-exports. In the case of Germany, almost half are re-exports. By contrast, the vast majority of goods exported to the United States are Dutch-manufactured. The US is therefore the largest market for Dutch-produced steel (excluding re-exports) after Germany and Belgium.
Volume of exports has been stable for several years
In terms of volume, Dutch steel exports have been fairly stable since 2011. The volume stood at 11.0 billion kg of steel in 2017; roughly equal to 2011, but slightly higher than in 2016, when it amounted to 10.5 billion kg. The value development of Dutch steel exports has followed a similar pattern. Last year, the value did increase more rapidly than the volume due to rising prices.
