France capacity utilisation rate: basic metals
France capacity utilisation rate: basic metals stood at 71.87% in Sep 2026, according to Banque de France – Webstat (webstat.banque-france.fr). It is one of the indicators in the Banque de France business surveys table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1987 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Banque de France business surveys table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity utilisation rate | |||||||||||
| Basic metals and metal products | 71.87 | 71.46 | 72.23 | 71.87 | 72 | 71.94 | 71.47 | 71.65 | 71.83 | 71.37 | |
| Computer, electronic and optical products | 83.58 | 84.42 | 82.61 | 81.53 | 81.38 | 81.21 | 81.72 | 81.6 | 80.24 | 80.73 |
Understanding france capacity utilisation rate: basic metals
Foundry operators, metal casting plants, steel mills, and structural metal fabricators measure the proportion of active industrial plant infrastructure currently engaged in production. Respondents calculate current output against maximum potential output under normal operating arrangements. This metric isolates metal extraction, smelting, rolling, and fabricated metal product creation from machinery manufacturing and mineral processing. Excluded are mining operations that extract raw metal ores, focusing the scope entirely on metallurgical processing and metal goods manufacturing.
Interpreting these monthly readings requires accounting for intense energy cost sensitivity, which can force temporary furnace shutdowns and distort standard utilization patterns. Analysts should evaluate year-over-year comparisons alongside month-to-month figures to filter out routine holiday maintenance closures in heavy industrial plants. Early estimates are subject to revision as secondary metallurgical workshops report their operating data. Comparing metal capacity utilization directly with light manufacturing sectors can mislead researchers because heavy metallurgical plants operate on much longer startup and shutdown intervals.
Frequently asked questions
- What industrial activities are included in the basic metals and metal products category?
- The series tracks metal smelting, steel milling, foundry casting, and structural metal fabrication.
- Why can energy prices significantly impact this utilization rate?
- Heavy metallurgical smelting and casting require large amounts of power, making operations sensitive to energy cost fluctuations.
- Does this measure include raw metal ore mining?
- No, raw ore extraction is excluded, leaving the focus on processing, casting, and metal product manufacturing.