A review of the steel industry in April

Steel supply:

Xin'an Special Steel's 120-ton electric furnace steelmaking project has entered the trial production stage

On April 2, walking into the production workshop of Xinjiang Xin'an Special Steel Co., Ltd., the machine roared, and saw that with the slow rise of the electric furnace body, the first furnace of molten iron trickled out from the mouth of the electric furnace like spring water, and the iron flowers flashed and the heat wave rolled, which marked the official entry of the 120-ton electric furnace steelmaking project of Xinjiang Xin'an Special Steel Co., Ltd. into the trial production stage, and also marked the first furnace of molten steel of the largest electric furnace in Xinjiang.

Guixin Iron and Steel 3×35 tons of electric furnace steelmaking production line construction project was approved

On April 16, the Qingcheng District People's Government approved the construction project of 3×35 tons of electric furnace steelmaking production line of Guangdong Guixin Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., Guangdong Guixin Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. is located in Jiafu Industrial Zone, Yinzhong Industrial Zone, Yinzhan Forest Farm, Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province, formerly Qingyuan Qingshan Stainless Steel Co., Ltd. This project is a project to improve the EIA procedures, with an annual output of 630,000 tons of billets and 350,000 tons of hot-rolled steel, and an annual output of 630,000 tons of billets and 670,000 tons of hot-rolled steel after completion.

Shandong Iron and Steel Yongfeng Lingang hot continuous rolling 2250mm strip production line was put into operation

On April 20, Shandong Iron and Steel Group Yongfeng Lingang hot continuous rolling 2250mm strip production line held a commissioning ceremony, Yongfeng Lingang 2250 hot continuous rolling heating furnace group project includes 4 (3 have been built, 1 is reserved) hot continuous rolling large slab heating furnace, using a number of green, low-carbon, intelligent and efficient technologies, furnace specifications and output are in the forefront of the industry.

Signed a contract for Salomittal's new steel project in Changzhou

On April 24, ArcelorMittal new energy soft magnetic material project was signed in Changzhou. After the signed project is put into operation, it will mainly produce high-performance new energy soft magnetic materials, and its customer base is a manufacturer of new energy vehicle motors and power transmission and transformation equipment, and it will be committed to building a world-class new energy soft magnetic material 4.0 benchmark factory, green factory and R&D base.

Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Integration:

Tianjin Bureau of Industry and Information Technology issued the Action Plan for the Transformation and Upgrading of Tianjin Iron and Steel Industry (2024-2027)

On March 31, the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology issued the "Action Plan for the Transformation and Upgrading of Tianjin Iron and Steel Industry (2024-2027)", encouraging the city's iron and steel enterprises to make full use of various national and local support policies, carry out technological innovation and equipment upgrading, promote new applications, expand new markets, and become promoters and beneficiaries of transformation and upgrading. In the next four years, the city's iron and steel industry will actively promote the coordinated management of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, and accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation. The "Action Plan" highlights the main position of iron and steel enterprises in innovation, encourages iron and steel enterprises to formulate transformation and upgrading measures in combination with their own actual conditions and the city's plan "one enterprise and one policy", and makes efforts to increase varieties, improve quality and create brands, and develop round steel, ship plates, high-pressure vessel steel plates, high-end deep-sea oil casing, and high-end deep-sea oil casing around the market demand of rail transit, energy, automobiles, equipment, ships and offshore engineering. Photovoltaic steel and other advanced and applicable products, further increase the proportion of high-tech content and high value-added products, coordinate the resources of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, encourage upstream and downstream advantageous enterprises to cooperate with scientific research institutes and universities, and carry out collaborative innovation around new product development, key common technology research, production process improvement, etc.

In terms of promoting the coordinated management of pollution reduction and carbon reduction and accelerating the green and low-carbon transformation, the "Action Plan" points out that the city's relevant enterprises should accelerate the development of electric furnace steel, and at the same time actively explore advanced technologies such as hydrogen metallurgy and low-carbon metallurgy, and take the initiative to learn from the national advanced iron and steel enterprises to further improve the green level Transformation projects, qualified enterprises strive to reach the energy efficiency benchmark level, to promote independent hot rolling enterprises to carry out transformation and upgrading according to the environmental performance leading level, in accordance with laws and regulations to eliminate backward production capacity, encourage the use of new energy vehicle transportation. In the next four years, Tianjin will accelerate the digital transformation and intelligent upgrading of the iron and steel industry, support enterprises to build smart factories and digital workshops integrating production scheduling and manufacturing execution, energy consumption and logistics tracking, quality and equipment monitoring, safety and environmental protection management, optimize the process flow, improve production efficiency, product quality, and improve the level of intrinsic safety.

Ministry of Ecology and Environment: The steel industry will start carbon emission data reporting in the second half of the year

On April 1, the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment pointed out that "in the second half of this year, steel and other industries will carry out the work of reporting and monthly storage of corporate carbon emission data." ”。 To this end, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has established and improved the carbon emission data quality management system, including the establishment of a monthly information storage system for enterprise carbon emission data, to help enterprises find and solve carbon emission data quality problems in a timely manner. At the same time, combined with the supervision of ecological and environmental law enforcement, a daily supervision mechanism for data quality at the three-level joint review of the "national-provincial-municipal" ecological and environmental departments has been established, so that the timeliness, completeness and standardization of corporate carbon emission reports have been continuously improved, and the level of local supervision capacity has been greatly enhanced.

The "Guidelines for the Construction of Digital Transformation Projects in the Iron and Steel Industry" was officially released

On April 1, the "Guidelines for the Construction of Digital Transformation Projects in the Iron and Steel Industry", led by the China Iron and Steel Association, edited by CCID Information and co-edited by various units, was released at the "2024 Annual Meeting of the Intelligent Manufacturing Alliance of the Iron and Steel Industry and the Three-year Action Kick-off Meeting of the Mathematical Transformation Project of the Iron and Steel Industry". The "Guidelines for the Construction of Digital Transformation Projects in the Iron and Steel Industry" aims to promote the deep integration of the digital economy and the real economy, provide guidance for the digital transformation of the steel industry in terms of design, research and development, production, control, operation, industrial chain coordination, corporate culture, organization and management, ecological construction, etc., improve the efficiency and quality of the digital transformation of the steel industry, and promote the high-end, intelligent and green development of the steel industry.

The guide proposes that the core of the digital transformation of the steel industry is to activate the value of data, improve the digital delivery capability of the factory, the digital research and development capability of products, the collaborative control and optimization ability of the whole process of the production process, the intelligent decision-making ability in the face of uncertainty in the operation process, and the collaborative ability of the industrial chain characterized by resilience and efficiency. Its essence is to create new quality productive forces and reconstruct the production relations that are compatible with them. Focusing on the architecture and construction content of the digital transformation of the steel industry, the guide proposes to build a new generation of digital technology and a flat new system architecture with the support of digital technology and industrial information security, so as to support plant design and construction, product and process design, steel production, and operation control with digitalization.

HBIS took the lead in simulating the national carbon market trading

On April 2, HBIS officially issued and implemented the "HBIS Group Simulated National Carbon Market Trading Work Plan", taking the lead in the industry to start the simulated national carbon market trading work, responding to the national carbon peak and carbon neutrality goal with practical actions, and opening a new chapter in the green development of the steel industry. Simulating the national carbon market trading is a pragmatic measure for HBIS to implement the "6+2" low-carbon technology path, aiming to simulate the real carbon market environment, so that all emission control enterprises can adapt to the carbon market trading process and rules in advance, and comprehensively improve the quality of carbon emission data. Improve carbon emission management capabilities, improve the awareness of carbon emission reduction marketization, strengthen the ability of carbon emission management personnel of various enterprises to control carbon emission trading rules and data quality, and train a team of carbon trading professionals, so as to help HBIS forge new industrial competitive advantages in the national unified carbon market in the future and cultivate new momentum for green development.

HBIS fully solicited the opinions and suggestions of industry experts for simulating the national carbon market trading, and finally formed the "Simulated Carbon Trading Plan" after many discussions and revisions. The plan clearly uses the real carbon emission data of HBIS units to simulate the trading process of the national carbon market, strictly follows the process of carbon emission reporting and verification, implements the whole process and all elements to simulate the trading links of the national carbon market, allocates free quotas to the participating units, and adopts the combination of compulsory market and voluntary emission reduction market to enhance the authenticity of the activity. The first compliance cycle is mainly to familiarize with the process and improve the system, covering the long-term sintering and iron-making processes, and then gradually covering the whole process, and gradually incorporating the short process of all scrap and hydrogen metallurgy processes.

The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments will conduct research and deployment on the regulation and control of crude steel output in 2024

On April 3, in order to implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and continue to consolidate and improve the achievements of supply-side structural reform, in 2024, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Emergency Management, and the National Bureau of Statistics, together with relevant parties, will continue to carry out the regulation and control of national crude steel output, adhere to the focus on energy conservation and carbon reduction, distinguish the situation, maintain the pressure, classify guidance, support the good and eliminate the inferior, promote the structural adjustment and optimization of the steel industry, and promote the high-quality development of the steel industry. In order to cooperate with the regulation and control of production capacity and output, relevant departments will jointly carry out the basic information mapping of equipment of national iron and steel smelting enterprises.

Nanjing Iron and Steel and Huawei signed a comprehensive and deepening strategic cooperation agreement

On April 8, Nanjing Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. held a signing ceremony for comprehensively deepening strategic cooperation. According to the agreement, the two sides will further strengthen cooperation and co-construction in artificial intelligence models, digital infrastructure construction, digital talent training, etc., jointly promote the intelligent upgrading of the steel industry, and accelerate the construction of a manufacturing power.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will focus on key industries such as iron and steel, and carry out four major actions: advanced equipment renewal, digital transformation, green equipment promotion, and safety level improvement

On April 11, the Information Office of the State Council held a regular briefing on the policies of the State Council. Shan Zhongde, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that in the next step, it will focus on key industries such as petrochemical industry, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, building materials, machinery, automobiles, light industry, textiles, electronics, etc., and carry out four major actions of advanced equipment renewal, digital transformation, green equipment promotion, and safety level improvement, and comprehensively promote equipment renewal and technological transformation. The first is to implement advanced equipment renewal actions. For industrial machine tools, agricultural machinery, construction machinery and other industries, speed up the replacement of backward and inefficient equipment such as old machine tools that have been in service for more than 10 years; for aviation, photovoltaic, power battery and other industries, benchmark against the international advanced level, update a number of high-tech, high-efficiency, high-reliability advanced equipment; around the weak links such as R&D and design, pilot test verification, inspection and testing, update and upgrade a number of test and testing equipment. The second is to implement digital transformation actions. Focusing on promoting the digitalization, networking, and intelligence of the manufacturing industry, we will promote the application of intelligent manufacturing equipment such as industrial robots and intelligent logistics, build a number of smart factories, strengthen the construction of digital infrastructure, and accelerate the large-scale deployment of industrial Internet, gigabit optical networks, and computing power centers. The third is to implement green equipment promotion actions. Promote the application and promotion of green equipment such as energy saving, water saving, and environmental protection in key energy-using industries and key links such as petrochemical industry, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, and building materials; promote the upgrading of key energy-using equipment such as motors, transformers, boilers, and pumps; and increase the upgrading of industrial solid waste treatment equipment and facilities. Fourth, the implementation of intrinsic safety level improvement actions. Promote the application of a number of advanced and applicable safety equipment, accelerate the comprehensive technological transformation of old petrochemical and chemical equipment, promote the civil explosive industry "mechanized substitution, automation reduction, robot replacement", and strengthen the upgrading and configuration of equipment in the fields of safety emergency response and fire protection.

Baosteel Zhanjiang Iron & Steel Zero-carbon High-grade Thin Steel Plate Factory Project officially started construction

On April 11, Baosteel Zhanjiang Iron and Steel Zero-carbon High-grade Thin Steel Plant Project officially started construction. The project is the first near-zero-carbon production line in China for the production of high-grade thin steel plates in a short-process smelting process of "hydrogen-based shaft furnace + electric furnace", which is of milestone significance for promoting the green and low-carbon transformation and development of the steel industry. With a total investment of about 4.5 billion yuan, the main equipment includes a 220-ton high-efficiency green electric furnace, refining facilities, a 2150mm single-flow slab continuous caster and related supporting public and auxiliary facilities. The project is planned to be completed by the end of 2025 and has an annual production capacity of about 1.8 million tons of zero-carbon plates.

Shanxi: Adjust the tax rate of raw ore for "coal" tax item from 8% to 10%

On April 11, in accordance with the "Resource Tax Law of the People's Republic of China", the relevant contents of the "Shanxi Provincial Resource Tax Items and Tax Rates Table" annexed to the "Decision of the Standing Committee of the Shanxi Provincial People's Congress on the Specific Applicable Tax Rates and Other Related Matters" are hereby revised as follows: the tax rate of raw ore for "coal" tax item is adjusted from 8% to 10%, and the tax rate for mineral processing is adjusted from 6.5% to 9%; The tax rate of raw ore under the tax item of "coal-to-gas (seam) gas" has been adjusted from 1.5% to 2%. This decision shall take effect on April 1, 2024.

Sample Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Hangzhou Iron and Steel Group

According to the agreement, the two sides will focus on the promotion of hot-rolled varieties of steel and cold-related products, from raw materials to finished products, with the whole chain layout, all-round coordination, and whole-process control, deeply dig into the regional market in the field of variety steel, and jointly build a supply chain service platform for regional hub-level varieties of steel, and promote the high-quality development of the industry with trade "new quality productivity".

China Iron and Steel signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Linggang Group

On April 17, China Iron and Steel signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Lingyuan Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd. According to the agreement, the two parties will carry out in-depth cooperation in the supply chain integration services of finished products, metallurgical raw fuel procurement supply chain integration services, logistics hub construction, logistics operation platform construction, and new product development and promotion.

Jingang Holding Group signed a contract with Shanxi Qinshui Coalbed Methane Development and Investment Co., Ltd

On April 19, Jingang Holding Group and Shanxi Qinshui Coalbed Methane Development and Investment Co., Ltd. held a signing ceremony for the coalbed methane development and utilization project. Through the cooperation with Shanxi Qinshui Coalbed Methane Development and Investment Co., Ltd. in the field of coalbed methane, Jingang makes full use of Qinshui's rich coalbed methane resources, and uses the hydrogen-based shaft furnace direct reduction ironmaking process with completely independent intellectual property rights, which can reduce carbon emissions by 3.5 million tons per year, which is of great significance for protecting the atmospheric environment, supplementing green energy, helping transformation and development, and achieving the goal of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality".

The world's first commercial nickel-based welding consumables for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors of Baowu Special Metallurgy were launched

On April 20, Baowu Special Metallurgy held the launch ceremony of the world's first commercial nickel-based welding consumables for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, which is the first batch of localized nickel-based alloy welding consumables for the main equipment of nuclear islands in the field of nuclear power, marking a major breakthrough in the field of nickel-based alloy welding consumables for nuclear power in China.

DCE: Adjust the trading limit of iron ore futures-related contracts

On April 25, DCE issued a notice that, starting from the trading session on April 26, 2024 (i.e., the night trading session on April 25), non-FF members or clients shall not open more than 500 contracts in a single day in iron ore futures I2405 and I2409 contracts, and 2,000 contracts in other iron ore futures contracts in a single day. The daily open position refers to the sum of the number of buy and open positions and the number of sell positions opened by a non-FF member or client on a single contract on that day. The number of open positions in a single day for hedging and market making is not subject to the above criteria. Accounts with de facto control relationships are managed on a single basis.

Shougang Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Chery Group

On April 25, the signing ceremony of strategic cooperation between Shougang Group and Chery Group was held. The signing of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement is another sublimation of the high degree of integration and joint efforts of the two parties, which is of great significance to both Shougang and Chery. It is hoped that the cooperation between the two sides can make breakthroughs, work together to build a green supply chain and industrial chain ecosystem, and jointly make greater contributions to building a manufacturing power and a beautiful China.

Baowu signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Machinery Industry Group

On April 25, Baowu and China Machinery Industry Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Baowu Building. In the future, the two sides will focus on scientific and technological innovation, focus on service innovation, give full play to their respective advantages, explore mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation models, further enhance core competitiveness, enhance core functions, and lead and drive the development of the industry.

Trade Frictions:

Chile made a preliminary anti-dumping ruling on Chinese steel grinding balls

On March 27, the Ministry of Finance of Chile issued an announcement in the official gazette, deciding to make a preliminary anti-dumping ruling on steel grinding balls with a diameter of less than 4 inches originating in China: the preliminary ruling is 9.2% for Changshu Extraordinary New Materials Co., Ltd., 22.5% for Changshu Longte Wear-resistant Ball Co., Ltd., 14.2% for Jiangyin Xingcheng Makoto Steel Ball Co., Ltd., and 0% for Gangnuo New Materials Co., Ltd. and Shandong Elite Heavy Industry Co., Ltd The temporary anti-dumping duty of other enterprises involved in the case in China is 22.5%. The Chilean customs duty code of the product involved in the case is 7326.1111. The announcement shall take effect from the date of issuance, and the provisional anti-dumping measures shall be effective for no more than 4 months and will be terminated on the date of issuance of the final measures.

Chile made a preliminary anti-dumping ruling on Chinese steel rods

On March 27, the Ministry of Finance of Chile issued an announcement in the official gazette, deciding to make a preliminary anti-dumping ruling on steel rods originating in China for the manufacture of grinding balls with a diameter of less than 4 inches: the preliminary ruling is 10.4% for Baowujie Fuyi Special Steel Co., Ltd., 10.3% for Daye Special Steel Co., Ltd., 19.8% for Northeast Special Steel Group Co., Ltd., and 19.8% for other enterprises involved in the case in China. The Chilean tax ID number of the product in question is 7228.3000. The announcement shall take effect from the date of issuance, and the provisional anti-dumping measures shall be effective for no more than 4 months and will be terminated on the date of issuance of the final measures.

The United States launched the first anti-dump sunset review investigation on cast iron sewage pipes

On April 1, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued an announcement to launch the first anti-dumping and countervailing sunset review investigation of Cast Iron Soil Pipe imported from China. At the same time, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) launched the first Double Anti-dumping Sunset Review Industrial Injury Investigation on cast iron sewage pipes imported from China to examine whether the material injury to the U.S. domestic industry caused by the import of the products involved would continue or recur within a reasonably foreseeable period if the existing anti-dumping and countervailing measures were lifted. Interested parties shall register their responses with the U.S. Department of Commerce within 10 days of the date of this announcement. Interested parties should submit responses to the ITC by May 1, 2024, and comments on the adequacy of the responses to the case by June 7, 2024 at the latest.

Turkey made a final ruling on the anti-dumping sunset review of China-related steel pipe fittings

On April 5, the Turkish Ministry of Trade issued Announcement No. 2024/11, making an affirmative final ruling on the anti-dumping sunset review of steel pipe fittings originating from China, Brazil, Bulgaria, Indonesia, India and Thailand, and decided to maintain the anti-dumping duties determined by the former Ministry of Economy of Turkey in Announcement No. 2018/15 on April 21, 2018, of which the tax amount of the products involved in the case in China is US$800/ton, Brazil US$400/ton, and Bulgaria US$400/ Indonesian enterprise PT. TRI Sinar Purnama Foundry $253/mt, Indonesia Other $400/Mt, India Jainsons Industries $305/Mt, India Other $400/Mt, Thailand BIS Pipe Fitting Industry Company Ltd. $147/Mt, Thailand Other $400 / ton, the Turkish tax number of the product involved in the case is 7307.19. The measures will take effect from the date of publication of the announcement and will be valid for five years.

Canada made the first final ruling on the first double reverse sunset review of China-related cold-rolled steel coils/plates

On April 12, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued an announcement stating that it had made the first positive final ruling on the anti-dumping and countervailing sunset review of cold-rolled steel coils/plates originating in or imported from China, South Korea and Vietnam, ruling that if the anti-dumping and countervailing measures in this case are cancelled, the dumping and subsidies of the products involved may continue or recur. The Canadian Court of International Trade (CITT) is expected to make a final ruling on the industrial injury in the case no later than September 19, 2024.

The UK initiated a transitional review of anti-dumping and countervailing measures on organic coated sheets

On April 15, the UK Trade Remedies Agency (TRA) issued an announcement to conduct a transitional review of the anti-dumping and countervailing measures against Organic Coated Steel Products originating in China, to decide whether the above-mentioned measures originating from the EU will continue to be implemented in the UK and whether to adjust the tariff level. The UK customs codes for the products involved are 7210708011, 7212408021, 7225990091, 7210708091, 7212408091, 7226997011, 7212408001, 7225990011 and 7226997091. The dumping and subsidy investigation period is from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024, and the injury investigation period is from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2024.

Ukraine revised the final anti-dumping ruling on steel fasteners against China

On April 17, the Interdepartmental International Trade Commission of Ukraine issued an announcement to maintain the final anti-dumping duty rate on steel fasteners, including screws, bolts and nuts originating in China, in accordance with Commission Resolution AD-562/2024/441-01 of April 12, 2024 (see Commission No. AD-465/ dated 21 September 2020/ Resolution 2020/4411-03), adding that the producers and exporters involved must be suppliers who have signed a foreign trade agreement with a resident of Ukraine, and the exporter in question must be a supplier who has signed a foreign trade agreement with a resident of Ukraine.

The UK has made a final ruling on the sunset review of safeguard measures for imported steel products

On 19 April, the WTO Committee on Safeguards issued a Safeguard Circular submitted to it by the British delegation. The UK Trade Remedies Agency (TRA) has made the first final ruling on the sunset review of safeguard measures for imported steel products, recommending that the safeguard measures for imported steel products be extended until 30 June 2026. The products involved in the case include non-alloy and other alloy hot-rolled plates and strips, non-alloy and other alloy cold-rolled plates, metal-coated plates, organic coated plates, tin-plated plates, non-alloy and other alloy quarters, alloy commercial steel bars and light profiles, non-alloy commercial steel bars and light profiles, steel bars, non-alloy and other alloy wire rods, iron or non-alloy steel angles, profiles and profiles, railway materials, gas pipes, hollow pipes, large welded pipes, large welded pipes and other welded pipes.

Chile revised the preliminary ruling on Chinese steel rods

On April 20, the Ministry of Finance of Chile issued an announcement in the official gazette stating that the temporary anti-dumping duty on steel rods originating in China for the manufacture of grinding balls with a diameter of less than 4 inches was changed from 10.3% ~ 19.8% to 24.9%, that is, a temporary anti-dumping duty of 24.9% will be levied on all Chinese enterprises involved in the case, and the measures will take effect from March 27, 2024, and will be valid for no more than 6 months, and will be terminated on the date of issuance of the final measures. This case concerns products under Chilean tax code 7228.3000.

Chile revised the preliminary anti-dumping ruling on Chinese steel grinding balls

On April 20, the Ministry of Finance of Chile issued an announcement in the official gazette stating that the temporary anti-dumping duty on steel grinding balls with a diameter of less than 4 inches originating in China will be changed from 0% ~ 22.5% to 33.5%, that is, a temporary anti-dumping duty of 33.5% will be levied on all Chinese enterprises involved in the case, and the measures will take effect from March 27, 2024, with a validity period of no more than 6 months, and will be terminated on the date of issuance of the final measures. The Chilean tax ID number of the product in question is 7326.1111.

Japan launched an anti-dumping investigation on graphite electrodes in China

On April 24, the Japanese Ministry of Finance issued an announcement that it decided to launch an anti-dumping investigation on graphite electrodes (Japanese: 黒鉛電極) originating in Chinese mainland in response to an application filed by Japanese domestic manufacturers SEC Carbon Co., Ltd., Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd. and Nippon Carbon Co., Ltd. on February 26, 2024. Involving products under the 854511 of the Japanese Customs Tariff Code. The dumping investigation period in this case is October 1, 2022 ~ September 30, 2023, and the industrial injury investigation period is January 1, 2018 ~ September 30, 2023.

Steel International:

Xinxing Cast Pipe: The company will build a 250,000-ton cast pipe production line in Egypt

On March 29, Xinxing Cast Pipe said on the investor interactive platform that the company will build a 250,000-ton cast pipe production line in Egypt to meet the needs of the Middle East, Africa and other markets by the resolution and announcement of the 30th meeting of the company's eighth board of directors. Focusing on the relevant planning guidelines of the national "Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the Long-Range Objectives for 2035", the company has formulated the 14th Five-Year Development Strategy and Plan for Xinxing Cast Pipe in combination with the development trend of the industry and the actual development of the company. The company promotes the planning goals in multiple ways, takes "green development, scientific and technological innovation, digital transformation, and deepening reform" as the starting point, strengthens and optimizes the stock, based on the domestic cycle, gives full play to the company's technology and channel advantages in the cast pipe industry, promotes the optimization of domestic layout in an orderly manner, and accelerates the international layout of cast pipes. At the same time, it actively and steadily carried out the exploration of new industries, cultivated new increments, and steadily promoted the high-quality development of the company.

Vale-Central South University Joint Laboratory of Low Carbon and Hydrogen Metallurgy was launched

On April 8, after more than a year of preparation, the Vale-Central South University Joint Laboratory of Low Carbon and Hydrogen Metallurgy (the "Joint Laboratory") was officially launched in Changsha, Hunan Province. The joint laboratory, which was established with a US$5.81 million donation from Vale, will be open to all researchers in the mining and steel industries from now on. The joint laboratory is located in Changsha Yida Zhongjian Smart Technology Center, with a total of five floors and a total area of 3,000 square meters. As an experimental platform for the whole process of low-carbon metallurgy, the laboratory has six functional areas, including iron ore sorting and pretreatment, low-carbon briquetting, functional material preparation, comprehensive utilization of secondary resources, carbon emission reduction, biomass and hydrogen metallurgy, as well as three pilot bases for low-carbon sintering, low-carbon pellets and hydrogen-based direct reduction. The joint laboratory is equipped with more than 100 sets of world-class instruments and equipment, such as sintering pellet device, multi-functional high-temperature furnace and hydrogen reduction shaft furnace, which will provide strong support for the basic theoretical research and key technology development of cutting-edge metallurgical science and technology such as hydrogen metallurgy.

worldsteel has released its April 2024 short-term steel demand forecast

On April 9, the World Steel Association (worldsteel) released its latest short-term (2024-2025) steel demand forecast report. According to the report, global steel demand will rebound by 1.7% to 1.793 billion tons in 2024. In 2025, global steel demand will grow by 1.2% to 1.815 billion tonnes. China's steel demand is expected to remain broadly unchanged at 2023 levels in 2024, with the decline in infrastructure investment and manufacturing offset by growth in demand from infrastructure investment and manufacturing, despite the corresponding contraction in steel demand due to the continued decline in real estate investment. China's steel demand will return to a downward trend in 2025, with demand expected to fall by 1%.

HBIS and the University of Belgrade have joined hands to build a joint laboratory for green steel manufacturing

On April 15, the inauguration ceremony of the HBIS-Belgrade University Joint Laboratory for Green Steel Manufacturing was held in Belgrade, where the two sides will gather global technical talents and other innovative elements to build the joint laboratory into a model of scientific and technological cooperation along the "Belt and Road". According to the agreement, HBIS and the University of Belgrade will establish a comprehensive scientific research cooperation relationship, gather global technical talents and other innovative elements, deepen cooperation in the research and development of cutting-edge basic and innovative technologies in the steel field, low-carbon green manufacturing technology research and development, European carbon tax policy research, and the establishment of talent training and mutual visit mechanisms, and strive to build the joint laboratory into the world's most competitive and influential joint laboratory for steel green manufacturing, and create a model of "Belt and Road" cooperation in the field of China's steel green manufacturing.

HBIS and Siemens signed a cooperation agreement on the joint construction of a digital green chemical plant project of Serbian Iron and Steel Company

On April 15, HBIS and Siemens signed a cooperation agreement in Belgrade to jointly build a digital green chemical plant project of Serbian Iron and Steel Company, which is the first innovative practice of the two parties to jointly build a green and intelligent steel plant overseas, and is committed to building HBIS into the most competitive green and intelligent steel mill in Europe. According to the agreement, relying on the accumulation of advanced technology and successful experience in the fields of digitalization and greening, guided by HBIS's strategic planning, giving full play to Siemens' R&D capabilities in the industrial field, combined with HBIS's technical advantages in the metallurgical industry, and promoting the digital upgrading and transformation of HBIS Saigang's plant, the optimization of energy control of production lines, and energy conservation and emission reduction, the two parties will jointly build the most competitive full-process green and intelligent steel mill in Europe through the top-level design of the digital plant, the optimization of the whole process of energy efficiency improvement and the construction of ESG system. The two parties will also jointly establish a joint project team, which will be used as a carrier to strengthen cooperation in the fields of digital factories in the steel industry, energy optimization, green and low-carbon production and services.

Global crude steel output in March was 161.2 million tons, down 4.3% year-on-year

According to worldsteel statistics, in March 2024, the crude steel output of the world's 71 countries included in worldsteel's statistics was 161.2 million tons, down 4.3% year-on-year. In March 2024, Africa's crude steel output was 1.9 million tons, up 1.1% year-on-year, Asia and Oceania's crude steel output was 118.3 million tons, down 5.8% year-on-year, the European Union (27) crude steel output was 11.6 million tons, down 4.3% year-on-year, other European countries' crude steel output was 3.9 million tons, up 11.0% year-on-year, the Middle East's crude steel output was 4.8 million tons, up 4.0% year-on-year, and North America's crude steel output was 9.5 million tons, down 1.4% year-on-year. Russia and other CIS countries + Ukraine produced 7.8 million tons, up 1.5% year-on-year, and South America produced 3.5 million tons, down 0.2% year-on-year.

In March 2024, China's crude steel output was 88.27 million tons, down 7.8% year-on-year, India's crude steel output was 12.7 million tons, down 7.8% year-on-year, Japan's crude steel output was 7.2 million tons, down 3.9% year-on-year, the U.S. crude steel output was 6.9 million tons, unchanged year-on-year, Russia's crude steel output was estimated at 6.6 million tons, up 0.8% year-on-year, South Korea's crude steel output was 5.3 million tons, down 9.5% year-on-year, and Germany's crude steel output was 3.5 million tons, up 8.4% year-on-year. Turkey's crude steel output was 3.2 million tons, up 18.0% year-on-year, Brazil's crude steel output was 2.8 million tons, up 5.6% year-on-year, and Iran's crude steel output was 2.8 million tons, up 2.0% year-on-year.

Global blast furnace pig iron production fell 1.4% year-on-year to 318 million tonnes in the first quarter

According to worldsteel statistics, blast furnace pig iron production in 37 countries and regions in the first quarter of 2024 was 318 million tons, down 1.4% year-on-year. In 2023, these 37 countries and regions accounted for 98.25% of global production in blast furnace pig iron production.

In the first quarter of 2024, Asian blast furnace pig iron production fell 2.1% year-on-year to 265 million tons. Among them, China's output fell 2.9% year-on-year to 213 million tons, India's output increased by 3.4% year-on-year to 22.435 million tons, Japan's output decreased by 1.8% year-on-year to 15.393 million tons, and South Korea's output increased by 0.9% year-on-year to 10.995 million tons. The output of blast furnace pig iron in the 27 countries of the European Union was basically flat year-on-year, at 16.778 million tons. Among them, Germany's output increased by 4.8% year-on-year to 6.309 million tons, France decreased by 5.0% year-on-year to 1.572 million tons, Austria increased by 4.1% year-on-year to 1.474 million tons, the Netherlands decreased by 6.6% year-on-year to 1.241 million tons, Poland increased by 3.6% year-on-year to 822,000 tons, and the Czech Republic decreased by 36.4% year-on-year to 498,000 tons. The rest of Europe saw a 29.7% year-on-year increase to 3.862 million tonnes. Among them, Turkey's output increased by 62.0% year-on-year to 2.627 million tons, and the UK's output decreased by 10.7% year-on-year to 996,000 tons.

Russia, other CIS countries and Ukraine produced 15.438 million tons, up 1.3% year-on-year. Among them, Russia's output fell slightly by 1.5% year-on-year to 13.190 million tons, Ukraine's output decreased by 32.1% year-on-year to 1.589 million tons, and Kazakhstan's output increased by 2.3% year-on-year to 660,000 tons. North American production is estimated to be down 1.8% year-on-year to 6.625 million tonnes. South American production increased by 1.8% year-on-year to 7.196 million tons. Among them, Brazil's output increased by 2.4% year-on-year to 6.537 million tons, while Argentina's output decreased by 17.0% year-on-year to 430,000 tons. South African production increased by 8.9% year-on-year to 729,000 tonnes. Iranian production in the Middle East increased by 18.9% year-on-year to 880,000 tonnes. Oceania production fell 6.6% year-on-year to 924,000 tonnes.

For direct reduced iron, the output of 13 countries in the first quarter was 28.096 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 7.4%. In 2023, these 13 countries accounted for about 91.42% of the total global production. Among them, India's output increased by 17.1% year-on-year to 13.295 million tons, Iran's output decreased by 1.0% year-on-year to 5.308 million tons, Russia's output increased by 8.1% year-on-year to 2.051 million tons, Saudi Arabia's output decreased by 0.6% year-on-year to 1.757 million tons, Egypt's output increased by 6.6% year-on-year to 1.699 million tons, Mexico's output increased by 2.1% year-on-year to 1.470 million tons, and the United Arab Emirates' output decreased by 9.5% year-on-year to 825,000 tonnes, Libya down 7.1% y/y to 411,000 mt, Qatar up 2.4% y/y to 447,000 mt, Canada up 6.7% y/y to 418,000 mt, Argentina down 30.7% y/y to 306,000 mt, Venezuela down 3.7% y/y to 62,000 mt and South Africa down 10.7% y/y to 48,000 mt. (Lange Steel Research Center)