China's steel industry shifts from scale expansion to high-end, green, smart upgrades
At the 15th China International Steel Congress on September 20, CISA officials announced China's steel industry has largely ended extensive expansion and entered a new phase of high-end, intelligent, and green upgrading. August crude steel output fell 3.7% year-on-year to 74.61 million tonnes, with manufacturing now accounting for 52% of steel use, surpassing construction. Ultra-low emission retrofits cover over 90% of crude steel capacity, with cumulative investment exceeding 370 billion yuan. The industry aims to shift from selling steel to providing comprehensive solutions.
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China's Steel Industry Cuts Output, Boosts High-End Products and Ultra-Low Emission Upgrades
According to a report from China's state broadcaster CCTV, the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) released August operational data showing continued contraction in steel output, aligning with high-quality development goals. August crude steel output fell 3.7% year-on-year to 74.61 million tons, with pig iron and steel products also declining. In the first eight months of 2024, total crude steel output was 652 million tons, down 3.1% year-on-year. CISA officials stated that the output decline reflects active structural adjustment and profit stabilization. Manufacturing now accounts for 52% of steel use, surpassing construction. High-value-added steel products are increasingly used in new energy vehicles, humanoid robots, and the国产 large aircraft program. CISA President Liu Jian noted that during the '14th Five-Year Plan' period, the industry cumulatively reduced output by over 100 million tons and increased industrial concentration. CISA Vice President Jiang Wei said ultra-low emission upgrades now cover over 90% of crude steel capacity, with total investment exceeding 370 billion yuan. The industry is also implementing energy efficiency benchmarking and low-carbon metallurgy demonstration projects, including hydrogen-based shaft furnace near-zero-carbon factories.
Read sourceChina's Steel Industry Upgrades with Ultra-Low Emissions and Higher Concentration
According to a report from the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), China's steel production continued to contract in August, with crude steel output falling 3.7% year-on-year to 74.61 million tonnes, reflecting the industry's active output control and alignment with high-quality development goals. In the first eight months of 2024, total crude steel production was 652 million tonnes, down 3.1% year-on-year. The industry is undergoing a structural shift, with manufacturing now accounting for 52% of steel use, surpassing construction. High-value-added steel products are increasingly deployed in advanced manufacturing, including 0.1mm electrical steel for EVs and humanoid robots, cryogenic Invar steel for ships, and ultra-thin 'Cicada Wing' steel (0.07mm) for 5G applications. CISA stated that over 90% of crude steel capacity has completed ultra-low emission retrofits, with cumulative investment exceeding 370 billion yuan. The association also noted that the industry has reduced cumulative production by over 100 million tonnes during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, while industrial concentration has risen. Low-carbon metallurgy demonstration projects, including hydrogen-based shaft furnace near-zero-carbon plants, are being commissioned.
Read sourceChina's Steel Industry Upgrades with Ultra-Low Emissions and Higher Concentration
According to a report from China Industrial News, the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) released August operational data showing continued steel output contraction, with crude steel production at 74.61 million tons, down 3.7% year-on-year. For the first eight months, total crude steel output fell 3.1% to 652 million tons. CISA officials stated this reflects the industry's active structural adjustment and efficiency stabilization. High-end manufacturing now accounts for 52% of steel use, surpassing construction. The article highlights breakthroughs in specialty steels, including 0.1mm electrical steel for EVs and humanoid robots, cryogenic Invar alloy for ships, and ultra-thin 'Cicada Wing' steel (0.07mm) for 5G applications. CISA President Liu Jian noted that during the '14th Five-Year Plan' period, the industry cumulatively cut over 100 million tons of capacity, increasing industrial concentration. Vice President Jiang Wei reported that ultra-low emission upgrades now cover over 90% of crude steel capacity, with total investment exceeding 370 billion yuan. The industry is also advancing hydrogen-based direct reduction and other low-carbon metallurgy demonstration projects.
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China's Steel Industry Shifts to High-End Manufacturing as Output Falls and Quality Rises
According to a report from the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) published by Tencent Stock and sourced from CCTV, China's steel industry is undergoing a strategic transformation from quantity to quality. Steel production has declined as the industry actively adjusts its structure to stabilize profits. For the first time, the share of steel used in manufacturing has surpassed that used in construction, reaching 52%. The industry is producing advanced high-value-added steels, including 0.1mm electrical steel for new energy vehicles and humanoid robots, ultra-low-temperature Invar steel for ships that broke foreign monopolies, 'Extreme Steel' for new domestically-produced large aircraft composite molds, and 'Cicada Wing Steel' (5G steel) as thin as 0.07mm with global advanced properties. CISA President Liu Jian stated that during the '14th Five-Year Plan' period, the industry cumulatively reduced production by over 100 million tons while increasing industrial concentration. The association emphasized that the upgrade of high-end manufacturing is driving the steel industry's transformation, with material self-sufficiency becoming key to industrial chain coordination, as China's steel self-sufficiency rate has reached nearly 100%.
Read sourceChina's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of Quality Upgrade and Green Transformation
According to a report from the 15th China International Steel Congress, China's steel industry has largely ended its extensive expansion model and is now entering a new stage focused on high-end, intelligent, and green upgrades. China Iron and Steel Association Vice President Jiang Wei stated that the industry is undergoing a comprehensive transformation through integrated innovation in capacity, equipment, products, services, and green transition. Key developments include: high-value steel products for automotive, marine, nuclear, and new energy sectors achieving global firsts and import substitution; manufacturing steel use surpassing construction steel; widespread adoption of digital technology, industrial internet, and AI large models in steelmaking; and the world's largest and strictest ultra-low emission retrofit program, with over 80% of crude steel capacity meeting standards during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the industry will focus on enhancing industrial foundation capabilities, promoting green and smart manufacturing, controlling capacity expansion, boosting industrial concentration, and securing resource safety. Association President Liu Jian emphasized shifting from selling steel to providing comprehensive solutions including materials, technology, services, and green brands, while collaborating with downstream sectors to overcome critical material bottlenecks and resist vicious competition.
China's steel industry cuts output, boosts high-end products and ultra-low emission retrofits
According to a report from East Money citing the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), China's steel industry is undergoing a quality-driven transformation. In August, crude steel output fell 3.7% year-on-year to 74.61 million tonnes, with cumulative output for the first eight months down 3.1% to 652 million tonnes. CISA officials attribute the decline to proactive structural adjustment and stable profit-seeking. The share of steel used in manufacturing has surpassed that in construction, reaching 52%, driven by demand from high-end sectors such as new energy robots and large aircraft. CISA President Liu Jian stated that during the '14th Five-Year Plan' period, the industry has cumulatively reduced production by over 100 million tonnes and increased industrial concentration. CISA Vice President Jiang Wei noted that ultra-low emission retrofits now cover over 90% of crude steel capacity, with total investment exceeding 370 billion yuan. The industry is also advancing energy efficiency benchmarking and low-carbon metallurgy demonstration projects, including hydrogen-based shaft furnace near-zero-carbon plants.
Read sourceChina's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of High-End, Smart, Green Upgrading
According to reports from the 15th China International Steel Congress, China's steel industry has largely abandoned extensive scale expansion and is now comprehensively entering a new stage of high-end, intelligent, and green upgrading. China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) Vice President Jiang Wei stated that the industry is undergoing a systemic transformation through integrated innovation, achieving changes in capacity, products, and green transition. Key developments include high-value steel products for automotive, marine, nuclear, and new energy sectors surpassing construction steel in usage; the application of digital technology, industrial internet, and AI large models in smart steelmaking; and the implementation of the world's largest and strictest ultra-low emission upgrades, with over 80% of crude steel capacity meeting standards during the '14th Five-Year Plan' period. Jiang Wei noted that the industry is shifting from scale expansion to quality competition, driven by technological progress and integrated innovation. Looking ahead to the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, the industry will focus on enhancing industrial foundation capabilities and modernization, controlling capacity expansion, promoting industrial concentration, ensuring resource security, and advancing internationalization. CISA Chairman Liu Jian emphasized deepening capacity governance, implementing quality improvement, energy efficiency, and digital transformation projects, and transforming the industry from selling steel to providing comprehensive solutions including materials, technology, services, and green brands.
Read sourceChina's Steel Industry to Push Digital and AI Transformation in 15th Five-Year Plan
At the 15th China International Steel Congress in Shanghai, China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) officials outlined the industry's goals for the 2026-2030 period. CISA Vice President Jiang Wei stated that the industry has completed scale expansion and is entering a new phase focused on high-end, intelligent, and green upgrades. Key initiatives include 'quality improvement and product creation' for high-value-added steel, 'energy-carbon efficiency' as a mandatory requirement for emissions reduction, and 'digital-intelligent transformation' as a new foundation. CISA President Liu Jian noted that the industry faces pressure from carbon reduction costs and new carbon barriers in trade, estimating that by 2028, Chinese steel costs for exports to the EU will rise by about 7%, incurring an additional 1.42 billion euros. The 15th Five-Year Plan targets world leadership in technology, digital transformation, and green low-carbon practices by 2030. Specific measures include promoting 'AI+steel' applications, building smart factories, and fostering 'pilot-level' and 'lighthouse' factories. As of end-2025, 239 smart manufacturing standards have been planned, 114 issued, and 36 enterprises have been rated as 'excellent-level' smart factories.
Read sourceChina's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of High-End, Smart, Green Upgrades
According to a Xinhua report from the 15th China International Steel Conference, China's steel industry has largely ended its era of extensive expansion and is now transitioning to a stage focused on high-end, intelligent, and green development. China Iron and Steel Association Vice President Jiang Wei stated that the industry is undergoing a systemic transformation through integrated innovation, covering production capacity, product services, and environmental performance. Key trends include a shift from construction to manufacturing steel demand, growth in high-value-added products like automotive and nuclear-grade steel, and the adoption of AI and digital technologies in steelmaking. On the environmental front, over 80% of crude steel capacity has met ultra-low emission standards, and several low-carbon demonstration projects have been launched. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the industry will focus on controlling capacity expansion, promoting industrial consolidation, ensuring resource security, and advancing internationalization. Association President Liu Jian called for a transformation from selling steel to providing comprehensive solutions including materials, technology, services, and green brands, while collaborating with downstream sectors to tackle critical specialty materials.
China's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of High-End, Intelligent, Green Upgrading
At the 15th China International Steel Conference on September 20, it was announced that China's steel industry has largely moved away from extensive scale expansion and is fully entering a new phase of high-end, intelligent, and green quality upgrading. Jiang Wei, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Iron and Steel Association, stated that the industry is driving systematic industrial restructuring through integrated innovation, achieving comprehensive transformation in capacity and equipment, products and services, and green transition. He noted that from a broader industrial cycle perspective, the sector is shifting from scale expansion to quality competition, and that responding to these changes and achieving quality upgrades hinges on technological progress and driving systemic transformation through all-around integrated innovation. The report was sourced from Xinhua.
China's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of Quality Upgrade, Officials Say
According to a report from Xinhua Finance on September 20, China's steel industry has largely abandoned its extensive scale-expansion model and is now comprehensively entering a new phase of high-end, intelligent, and green quality upgrades. This was stated at the 15th China International Steel Congress by China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) Vice President and Secretary-General Jiang Wei, who said the industry is undergoing a systemic transformation through integrated innovation in capacity, equipment, products, services, and green transition. Jiang noted that the industry is shifting from scale expansion to quality competition, with progress driven by technological innovation. CISA President Liu Jian said the industry will focus on deepening capacity governance, implementing quality improvement, energy efficiency, and digital transformation projects, expanding steel application scenarios, and fostering brands for low-carbon and high-end specialty steels. The goal is to move from simply 'selling steel' to 'selling materials, technology, services, and green brands.' During the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, the industry will prioritize green and low-carbon transformation, smart manufacturing, capacity control, industrial concentration, resource security, and internationalization.
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