According to the German Steel Federation, German crude steel output in 2009 is set to fall by more than a quarter to levels not seen since the early 1960s.
In a statement released by the federation, it is said that new orders in January and February declined by over 50 percent year on year, and indicators showed the situation was not expected to improve in the second quarter, adding that destocking among traders and processors is taking longer than originally expected due to the global economic slump.
German Steel Federation president Hans Juergen Kerkhoff said, "Germany steel output in 2008 stood at 45.8 million mt. We expect a decline of more than 25 percent for 2009."
In March 2009, the federation said that steel production in 2009 was expected to fall below 40 million mt for the first time since 1993, but would probably not fall below 35 million mt.