With a total of 1.08 million tons of exports during the first seven Iranian months (March 21-Oct, 22) and 82,296 tons in the seventh month (Sept. 23-Oct. 22), Khouzestan Steel Company was Iran's biggest steel exporter during the periods under review.
The mill experienced year-on-year declines of 19% in export during the seven months and 42% in the seventh 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 go 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 (MSC), located in Isfahan, was the second biggest exporter as it shipped out 885,397 tons of products during the seven months under review, up 23% compared with last year's corresponding period.
The company is the largest steelmaker in the Middle East and North Africa region and one of the largest industrial complexes operating in Iran.
During the seventh month of the current Iranian year, MSC exported 132,512 tons abroad, to register a 145% growth YOY.
Esfahan Steel Company (ESCO) ranked third as it exported 681,868 tons during the seven months, up 12% year-on-year.
During the month to Oct. 22, ESCO exported 114,653 tons to register a YOY increase of 193%.
Most of the other producers registered growth during the seven-month period.
South Kaveh Steel Company exported 465,600 tons of billets, up 29% YOY. The company also exported 62,560 tons of direct-reduced iron in the seven months.
Hormozgan Steel Company exported 453,049 tons of slabs, down 1% YOY.
Heavyweight Iranian steelmakers exported a total of about 4.04 million tons during the seven months under review to register a year-on-year growth of 8%.
Khorasan Steel Company shipped out 167,275 tons of bloom, indicating an 85% growth YOY. In addition, the company exported 6,925 tons of rebar, down 87% YOY.
Chadormalou Mining and Industrial Company exported 129,507 tons of billets during the seven months.
Saba Steel Company exported 50,842 tons of hot briquettes, up 71% YOY.
Iran Alloy Steel Company shipped out 36,488 tons of rebar, down 1% YOY.
Bonab Steel Company exported 26,240 tons of rebar, up 1,533% YOY, while the company exported 449 tons of “other” products during the period.
In the seventh month, the highest growth was registered by Iran Alloy Steel Company as the steel mill exported 5,940 tons of rebars during the month, up by 546% YOY.
The above steelmakers, considered as major producers in Iran, exported a total of about 4.04 million tons during the seven months to register a year-on-year growth of 8%.
They shipped out 561,007 tons during the seventh month of the year, which shows a 54% increase compared with the same month of the year before.
Iran Steel Producers Association will release a more comprehensive report on Iran's steel exports in a few days, which will also include data for small-scale steel mills.
The above-mentioned steelmakers exported a total of 5.54 million tons of steel during the last Iranian year (ended March 20) to register a year-on-year decline of 25%.
With a total of more than 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 as it produced a total of 19.31 million tons of crude steel during the nine months of 2019 (January to September), up 6% 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 the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Khodadad Gharibpour, Iranian steel industry is an export-oriented one such that the country exports more than 40% of its steel output.
