Iranian steelmakers produced 43.28 million tons of semi-finished and finished steel products during the first 11 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2019-Feb. 19) to register a 7.96% year-on-year increase.
According to the Iranian Steel Producers Association's latest report, semi-finished steel made up 24.93 million tons of the total output, up 10% YOY.
Billet and bloom made up 15.33 million tons of semi-finished production while slab output hit 9.59 million tons to register an 18% rise and a 1% decline respectively YOY.
As for finished steel, output increased 5% YOY to 18.35 million tons.
Long steel products had the lion's share of finished steel production with 9.25 million tons, up 6% YOY. Rebar had a major share with 7.48 million tons (up 5% YOY), followed by beams with 1.03 million tons (up 8% YOY) and L-beam, T-beam and other types with 738,000 tons (up 13% YOY).
Flat steel products had a 9.09 million-ton share in the output of finished steel products, posting a 5% rise YOY. HRC made up 7.51 million tons of the production in this category, registering a 3% growth YOY, followed by CRC with 2.39 million tons (up 2% YOY) and coated coil with 1.57 million tons (up 24% YOY).
Direct-reduced iron production stood at 25.44 million tons during the 11-month period, indicating a 5% rise YOY.
Long steel products had the lion's share of finished steel production with 9.25 million tons, up 6% YOY
The latest report released by World Steel Association shows Iran's global standing in steel production has climbed from the previous 10th to become the world's eighth biggest crude steel producer.
According to the Brussels-based international trade body for the iron and steel industry, Iranian steel mills produced 2.89 million tons of crude steel in January 2020, which indicates a 46.9% year-on-year rise.
Iran is now placed between Turkey (seventh) with 3.01 million tons of production and Germany (ninth) with 2.84 million tons, the new report shows.
The world’s 64 steelmakers produced 154.43 million tons of steel in January, up 2.1% YOY.
China was the world’s largest crude steel producer during the period with 84.26 million tons of output, up 7.2% YOY. It was followed by India with 9.28 million tons, Japan with 8.24 million tons, the United States with 7.7 million tons, Russia with 6 million tons and South Korea with 5.75 million tons.
Iran’s crude steel output stood at 31.9 million tons in 2019, up 30.1% YOY.
Crude steel is defined as steel in its first solid (or usable) form: ingots and semi-finished products (billets, blooms and slabs). This is not to be confused with liquid steel, which is steel poured.
Iran aims to become 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 more than 34 million tons of the capacity target.
A recent IMIDRO report on development of under-construction steel production units indicated 19.1 million tons will be added to Iran’s annual steel production capacity by the time the development of all these units is complete in the Iranian year ending March 2024.
The addition of 19.1 million tons by the time the under-construction projects come on stream to the current capacity means the aggregate output capacity will reach 54.1 by March 2024–only 900,000 short of the target—for which Iranian steelmakers will have one further year to hit the target.
The country has been working to increase its iron ore processing capacity, including both DRI and hot-briquetted iron production to feed its steelmaking expansion target.
