The total production of plate mills and hot rolling mills of key enterprises in China registered a year-on-year decline, while daily output bounced back on-month, according to data from the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA). The output by continuous cold rolling mills was on par y-o-y while the daily output continued to pick up m-o-m.
The monthly output of key flat steel products showed varying performance y-o-y, with notable increase in shipbuilding and piping plates, and continuous decline in container-use and boiler-vessel plates.
Plate output drops y-o-y
In Jan, the plate mills produced 5.6 million tonnes (mnt) of extra-thick plates and medium-thick plates, down 0.34 mnt or 5.7% on-year. The hot continuous rolling mills produced 16.41 mnt, down 0.44 mnt or 2.6% y-o-y.
Output of saleable products stood at 9.35 mnt, down 0.25 mnt or 2.6% on-year. Output of products which are further processed reached 7.06 mnt, down 200,000 t or 2.7% y-o-y.
Continuous cold rolling mills produced 6.73 mnt, up 10,000 t or 0.1% y-o-y. Total output of saleable products stood at 4.61 mnt, down 30,000 t, or 0.6% y-o-y, and products further processed were 2.12 mnt, up 40,000 t or 1.9% y-o-y.
Galvanised plate output up marginally
The output of extra-thick plates in Jan was 830,000 t, a decrease of 60,000 t or 7.2% y-o-y, while sales stood at 810,000 t of which 30,000 t were exported. Total sales were 97.6% of total output.
The production of plates with medium thickness stood at 4.77 mnt, down 280,000 t or 5.5% y-o-y. Sales were recorded at 4.75 mnt of which 160,000 t were exported. Sales made up 99.6% of total production.
On the other hand, the output of wide steel strips with medium thickness was 7.3 mnt, up 0.28 mnt or 4%, while sales stood at 7.08 mnt, of which 220,000 t were exported. Total sales were 96.9% of output.
In Jan, the output of hot-rolled thin steel strips was 2.06 mnt, down 520,000 t or 202% y-o-y. Total sales stood at 2.04 mnt (99% of total output) of which 120,000 t were exported.
The output of cold-rolled thin steel strips was 3.63 mnt, down 120,000 t or 32% on-year. Sales were recorded at 3.46 mnt of which 60,000 t were exported. Sales made up 95.3% of total production.
In Jan, the output of galvanised steel plates stood at 2.16 mnt, up 70,000 t or 3.2% y-o-y. Total sales were 2.05 mnt of which 250,000 t were exported. The share of sales in total output was 94.9%.
The production of tin-coated steel plates was 110,000 t, flat at last year’s level, while the output of colour-coated plates was 140,000 t, down 30,000 t or 17.6% y-o-y.
Shipbuilding plate production rises
Shipbuilding plate output in Jan was 910,000 t, up 170,000 t or 23% y-o-y of which high-strength steel plate production was 550,000 t, up 110,000 t or 25 on the year. The output of steel plates for boilers and pressure vessels totaled 360,000 t, down 60,000 t or 14.2% y-o-y.
Output of plates used in construction of bridges stood at 240,000 t, down 10,000 t or 5% y-o-y. The pipe line steel output was 270,000 t, up 50,000 t or 21.7% y-o-y. The output of container-use plates was 80,000 t, down 330,000 t or 80% y-o-y.
The production of plates used in automobiles was recorded at 3.20 mnt, down 240,000 t or 7% y-o-y. The output of galvanised automobile plates, in particular, stood at 750,000 t, up 0.1% y-o-y.
The output of plates for home appliances was 720,000 t, down 70,000 t or 8.4% y-o-y, while silicon steel output was 970,000 t, up 70,000 t or 8.3% y-o-y of which oriented silicon steel output was 80,000 t, up 10,000 t or 10.6% y-o-y.
Output of hot-rolled pickling plates was 730,000 t, down 0.6% y-o-y and production of high-strength steel plates was 3.22 mnt, down 250,000 t or 7.3% y-o-y.
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