Flero (Brescia), 9 April 2026 – Following a period of growth that has seen participant numbers rise by 46% and the number of participating companies increase by 43% over the last decade, Made in Steel is poised for further expansion, creating new opportunities for visibility, networking and development.
The Conference & Exhibition dedicated to the steel industry, fresh from its strategic alliance with Fiera Milano - which has acquired a 70% stake in the company - is now reinventing itself and looking to the future with an ambitious project that consolidates its role as a key reference point for the steel industry at both national and international levels.
The next edition of Made in Steel will take place on 11, 12 and 13 May 2027 at fieramilano Rho. The number of halls will increase from two to three - halls 8, 12 and 16 - with an expanded layout designed to accommodate a growing number of exhibitors and support the development of this biennial event. Among the new features of the 2027 edition, a large central “avenue” will connect the three halls, creating a strategic, high-visibility route for exhibitors.
For 2027, exhibitors will once again be able to choose their own exhibition space independently, a rarity in the trade fair world. Bookings will open on Thursday, 4 June 2026, with an early-bird phase running until 19 June.
Paolo Morandi, CEO of Made in Steel and siderweb, the event organiser, explains: “Made in Steel has established itself as a leading international event over the years, but we are convinced that there is still significant potential for growth on a global scale. We have been working on a development plan that will see Made in Steel focus on two main strands: the global market and the supply chain. The global market, because we want to increase the number of major international steel players who gather every two years in Italy, in Milan, at fieramilano Rho. This plan has been made possible thanks to an agreement with Fiera Milano, Italy’s leading trade fair organiser and one of the largest in Europe. The second development direction concerns the steel supply chain. Today, Made in Steel brings together operators from production through to primary processing and distribution; our aim is to reach sectors that use steel as one of their main raw materials, extending to services and related industries. We are convinced that real strength lies in creating a network, involving and connecting supply chains.”
Francesco Conci, CEO and General Manager of Fiera Milano, comments: “The presentation of Made in Steel 2027 marks the start of a new phase of development for an event that represents a strategic asset not only for Fiera Milano, but for the entire steel supply chain. In a context where technology and artificial intelligence are redefining business models, and in a particularly complex and unstable geopolitical phase, trade fairs confirm their central role as economic infrastructure and practical tools of industrial policy available to businesses, capable of generating relationships, trust and business opportunities. The partnership with siderweb was established precisely with the aim of enhancing these characteristics, combining our international reach and ability to connect markets with the strong identity and vertical expertise of Made in Steel. In this context, Milan is the ideal platform to further strengthen the event’s global positioning and support its future growth.”
Francesca Morandi, Head of External Relations at siderweb, adds: “Throughout this development process, siderweb remains, alongside Fiera Milano, the driving force and organiser of Made in Steel. It is the content that makes this event unique: it is not just a meeting place and a business opportunity, but also a true cultural hub where ideas, visions and expertise intertwine. A place where in-depth analysis becomes a driving force for our sector, shedding light on the issues that matter and charting new directions for the future. We have never defined it as merely a trade fair: Made in Steel is a Conference & Exhibition, rich in content, insights and visions, as well as business opportunities, visibility and networking.”
THE STEEL INDUSTRY TODAY - The current macroeconomic and steel industry climate is heavily influenced by geopolitical instability, which is primarily affecting the cost of production inputs. This comes on top of a period of significant upheaval for the sector, which in recent years has had to contend with a series of changes linked both to the regulatory environment (CBAM and new trade defence measures) and to a broader restructuring affecting logistics and supply chains.
This situation has led to a sharp rise in production costs within the sector, which have increased even though demand remained close to 2024 levels in 2025. On the price front, the Carbon Steel Index compiled weekly by siderweb (which summarises trends in domestic prices for carbon steel products) is at its highest level since March 2024, after hitting a five-year low in the second half of 2025.
Emanuele Norsa, analyst and coordinator of content and editorial strategies at siderweb, explains: “The Italian steel industry, like the global sector as a whole, is facing significant challenges, some of which are existential. Nevertheless, our country is currently the world’s third-largest importer of finished and semi-finished steel products, behind only the United States and Turkey. This position confirms Italy’s central role in the global steel trade and the strong interest of international operators in our country. In addition to its role in trade, Italy remains the second-largest steel producer in Europe, with the potential over the next 10-15 years to increase production levels to around 25 million tonnes of liquid steel, up from the current 20-21 million tonnes. This recovery is linked to future developments regarding the announcements made concerning Piombino and Taranto, and is therefore a factor that warrants close attention. Furthermore, Italy produces around 80% of its steel using electric furnaces, which have a significantly lower environmental impact than the integrated production cycle (based on blast furnaces), giving it a significant competitive advantage in the race towards decarbonisation and the achievement of Net Zero targets by 2050.”
Norsa concludes: “Finally, from a regional perspective, whilst it is true that Europe has experienced a steady decline in steel production over the last decade, Italy is strategically located within a region that, on the contrary, has seen significant growth in the steel industry in recent years. In the Mediterranean area, liquid steel production exceeded 90 million tonnes for the first time in 2025. Italy, Spain and Turkey remain the leaders in the Mediterranean steel sector, but the major investments currently underway in countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Libya and Morocco suggest that the entire region will continue to play a leading role in the years to come.”
