The European Foundry Federation is pleased to present the latest edition of its annual statistical review. This year’s report offers a comprehensive overview of the European foundry sector’s economic performance in 2024, a year shaped by complex macroeconomic challenges.
The 2024 data highlights a significant downturn for the industry. Following a cautious start to the year, demand eroded across major customer industries, including automotive and mechanical engineering.
- Ferrous Castings: Production declined by 13.2%, falling to 9.0 million tonnes. The value of production decreased to €22.5 billion.
- Non-Ferrous Castings: Output fell by 4.2% to 3.5 million tonnes, with production value decreasing to €19.5 billion.
- Employment: Reflecting these pressures, employment fell by 7.5% in the ferrous sector and 2.6% in the non-ferrous sector.
The report analyzes the factors driving these trends, noting that the decline was not caused by a single external impulse but by a broad-based reduction in demand across Europe. Foundries grappled with high energy costs, rising regulatory requirements, and tight financing conditions. Furthermore, state-supported overcapacity in Asia continued to exert pressure on international markets.
The outlook for 2025 remains cautious. The report notes that geopolitical uncertainty has increased, particularly following the election of Donald Trump in the United States.
Despite these hurdles, the Annual Report affirms the strategic importance of the foundry sector. Our capacity to supply high-quality, technologically advanced components is crucial to Europe’s competitiveness and its reindustrialisation objectives.
The EFF remains committed to advocating for a competitive European industrial environment that offers foundries the conditions they need to invest and innovate.
Dowload the Annual Report at the following link.