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Foreign trade

In 2012, Sweden’s export of finished steel, including blooms and billets, amounted to almost SEK 48 billion (excluding the engineering products the steel plants manufacture), whereas the value of steel imports was
SEK 31 billion. The considerable trade surplus in steel is due to Sweden, to a large extent, exporting high-performance steel and mainly importing standard products.

Swedish trade of finished steel, thousand metric tonnes

(including ingots and semis, re-exports and -imports)

                        E x p o r t s                                      I m p o r t s

The export of steel comprises about 4% of Sweden’s total exports of goods that in 2012 amounted to SEK 1,169 billion. The figure below shows how the trade balance has developed measured in value over the last 30 years.

Foreign trade incl. re-exports and -imports.

In terms of weight, however, the state of affairs is rather different. Sweden exports nearly 4 million tonnes of finished steel products and imports roughly an equivalent amount. The figure below shows how the trade balance has developed in terms of tonnage over the last 30 years.

Foreign trade incl. re-exports and -imports.

Swedish steel exports go to more than 140 countries (2012). However, easily the largest export market comprises the EU countries. Outside Europe, the USA is an important market as is China which in recent years has imported ever more steel from Sweden.

More than 90% of the steel that Sweden imports comes from other European countries.