Turkish Steel Producers Focus on Expansion into Africa and South America in 2025
As Turkey’s steel industry eyes new frontiers for expansion, Adnan Aslan, president of the Turkish Steel Exporters’ Association ÇİB, announced that Turkish steelmakers will focus their efforts on penetrating new markets in Africa and South America in 2025. Aslan expressed optimism regarding the potential of these regions, citing them as essential components of the country's steel export growth strategy for the year.
Expanding Markets: Where Turkish Steel Exports Are Heading
In terms of export volume, Romania, Italy, Yemen, Ukraine, and Iraq have traditionally been the top five markets for Turkish steel producers. However, Aslan highlighted that significant increases in exports have been recorded to countries such as Italy, Romania, the United Kingdom, Greece, and Spain, with these nations showing the highest growth rates compared to 2023. Moving forward, the Turkish steel sector is determined to build on this momentum and diversify into Northern Africa, West Africa, and South America, focusing on expanding steel sales into these emerging markets.
Optimism for Steel Exports to the Middle East and North Africa
Aslan also expressed renewed optimism about the potential for steel exports to Israel, Palestine, and Syria. Steel production in the İskenderun region of Turkey has begun to make inroads into Syria, with current steel exports to the country hovering around 200,000 metric tons. However, Aslan believes that as the political and economic situation in the region stabilizes, exports to Syria could increase significantly. He estimated that in the second half of 2025, this could lead to steel shipments rising to 750,000 metric tons, with an ultimate potential of reaching 2 million metric tons if conditions improve. Aslan called the situation in Syria a “significant opportunity” that, if all goes well, could have a major impact on Turkey’s steel export figures.
Turkey's 2024 Export Performance: A Record Year
The success of the Turkish steel sector in 2024 has set a strong foundation for 2025’s expansion plans. Turkey’s steel exports in 2024 rose by 8.7% in value, reaching $16.1 billion, and steel shipments surged by 21.8%, totaling 17.7 million metric tons. These impressive growth figures demonstrate the competitiveness of the Turkish steel industry on the global market, particularly in the face of challenging conditions.
Export Goals for 2025
Building on the momentum of 2024, Turkish steelmakers are setting an ambitious goal of boosting exports by 5% in 2025, aiming for a total of 18 million metric tons of steel exports. The industry will continue to leverage its advanced technology, competitive pricing, and increased capacity to meet growing demand in both established and emerging markets.
In summary, Turkish steelmakers are poised for growth in 2025, with a clear focus on tapping into the vast potential of Africa and South America. As they continue to expand and diversify their export markets, Turkish steel is set to play a key role in meeting global demand for high-quality steel products while driving economic growth in Turkey’s manufacturing and export sectors.
