Iranian steelmakers produced a total of 23.26 million tons of semis and finished steel products during the first half of the current Iranian year (March 21-Sept. 22) to register a 6.43% increase year-on-year.
According to the Iranian Steel Producers Association's latest report, semi-finished steel made up 13.08 million tons of the total output, up 6% YOY.
Billet and bloom made up 7.67 million tons of semi-finished production while slab output hit 5.41 million tons to register a 13% rise and a 3% decline respectively YOY.
As for finished steel, output increased 8% YOY to 10.17 million tons.
Flat steel products had the lion's share of finished steel production with 5.26 million tons, up 7% YOY. HRC made up 4.41 million tons of the production in this category, registering a 5% growth YOY, followed by CRC with 1.3 million tons (up 5% YOY) and coated coil with 817,000 tons (up 7% YOY).
This is while long steel products had a share of 4.9 million tons in the output of finished steel products, posting a 9% rise YOY. Rebar had a major share with 3.95 million tons (up 8% YOY), followed by beams with 536,000 tons (up 19% YOY) and L-beam, T-beam and other types with 411,000 tons (up 2% YOY).
Major Steel Exporters
With a total of 1 million tons of exports in H1 and 113,835 tons in the sixth fiscal month (Aug. 23-Sept. 22), Khouzestan Steel Company was Iran's biggest steel exporter during the period under review.
The mill experienced a year-on-year decline of 16% in exports during the six months to Sept. 22, but registered a growth of 30% in the sixth month, latest data released by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization show.
The steelmaker, located in the southwestern Khuzestan Province, exports to over a dozen countries.
About half of KSC's exports goes to the Middle East and North Africa region. Its other major export destinations are located in the Far East and the Americas.
Mobarakeh Steel Company, located in Isfahan, became the second biggest exporter by shipping out 752,885 tons of products during the six months under review, up 13% compared with last year's corresponding period.
The company is the largest steelmaker in the MENA region and one of the largest industrial complexes operating in Iran.
During the sixth fiscal month, MSC exported 159,811 tons to register a staggering 160% hike YOY.
Esfahan Steel Company (ESCO) ranked third as it exported 567,215 tons during the six months, unchanged compared with last year's corresponding period.
During the month to Sept. 22, ESCO exported 102,875 tons to register a YOY decrease of 1%.
With a total of 1 million tons of exports, Khouzestan Steel Company was Iran's biggest exporter of steel
South Kaveh Steel Company exported 409,100 tons of billet, up 45% YOY, while Chadormalou Mining and Industrial Company exported 124,498 tons of the product during the six months.
Hormozgan Steel Company exported 370,018 tons of slabs, down 11% YOY.
Khorasan Steel Company shipped out 127,149 tons of bloom, indicating a 41% growth YOY. In addition, the company exported 4,491 tons of rebar, down 90% YOY.
South Kaveh Steel Company exported 54,960 tons of direct-reduced iron, up 36% YOY.
Iran Alloy Steel Company shipped out 30,548 tons of rebar, down 15% YOY.
Saba Steel Company exported 24,987 tons of hot-briquetted iron, down 16% YOY, while Bonab Steel Company exported 21,190 tons of rebar, up 1,219% YOY.
From the sixth month perspective, the highest growth was registered by Iran Alloy Company that exported 9,994 tons of products during the month, up by 168% YOY.
The above steelmakers, considered major Iranian producers, exported a total of 3.48 million tons during the six months under review to register a YOY increase of 3%.
They shipped out 584,520 tons during the sixth month, which shows a 60% increase compared with the same month of the year before.
The Iran Steel Producers Association will release a more comprehensive report on Iran's steel exports in a few days, which also includes data on small-scale steel mills.
The heavyweight steelmakers exported a total of 5.54 million tons of steel during the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2019) to register a YOY decline of 25%.
With a total of 2.18 million tons of exports over the 12 months, Khouzestan Steel Company was Iran's biggest exporter of steel last year.
According to World Steel Association's latest data, Iran is the 10th biggest producer of steel in the world. Worldsteel's latest report shows the country produced a total of 17.18 million tons of crude steel during the eight months of 2019 (January to August), up 6.4% compared with the corresponding period of 2018.
Iran is aggressively pursuing the target of becoming the world’s sixth largest steel producer as per the 20-Year Vision Plan, which targets annual production capacity expansion to 55 million tons and 20-25 million tons of exports per year by 2025. Iranian steel mills have so far realized about 34 million tons of the capacity target.
According to Deputy Minister of Industries, Mining and Trade, and Chairman of Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Khodadad Gharibpour, Iranian steel industry is an export-oriented one that exports more than 40% of its steel output.
