Affected by scheduled maintenance, Emsteel's steel sales fell by 6% in the first quarter

       Emsteel, one of the leading manufacturers of steel and building materials in the Middle East, stated on May 14 that its total steel sales volume (including finished steel products and steel billets) in the first quarter of 2026 fell by 6% year-on-year to 768,000 tons. The decline was partly attributed to the scheduled shutdown of rolling mills for maintenance in January 2026.

Steel demand in the UAE is driven jointly by real estate and infrastructure development. Amid market concerns that ongoing geopolitical conflicts may impact the private real estate sector, UAE authorities have unveiled a host of measures to ease adverse effects on the industry.

Despite the drop in overall steel sales, Emsteel reported that its sales of cement and clinker surged 32% year-on-year to 1.1 million tons in the first quarter, reflecting robust market demand and improved operational output during the period. The company boasts an annual steel production capacity of 3.5 million tons and an annual cement production capacity of 4.6 million tons.