Iranian steelmakers registered production growth during the first six months of the current fiscal year (March 21-Sept. 22) compared with last year’s corresponding period.
According to the Iranian Steel Producers Association, the output of semi-finished products hit 15.39 million tons during the period, 19% more than in the corresponding period of last year.
Production of billet and bloom reached an aggregate of 9.36 million tons, registering a 21% year-on-year rise while that of slab reached 6.03 million tons to mark a 15% YOY rise.
The output of finished steel increased by 11% to 10.31 million tons during the period.
Long steel products grabbed the highest share of finished steel production with 5.79 million tons, registering a 9% increase compared with the similar period of last year.
The production of rebar stood at 4.76 million tons (up 9% YOY), beams hit 595,000 tons (up 5% YOY) and L-beam, T-beam and other types of beams amounted to 430,000 tons (up 10% YOY).
Flat steel reached 4.52 million tons (up 14% YOY) while hot-rolled coil output had the biggest share of flat steel production with 4.37 million tons, marking a 12% YOY rise. It was followed by cold-rolled coil with 1.23 million tons (up 1% YOY) and coated coil with 715,000 tons (down 2% YOY).
The output of direct-reduced iron reached 17.69 million tons during the period, up 20% YOY.
Exports
A total of 2.93 million tons of semi-finished steel products were exported from Iran during the period under review, down 16% year-on-year.
Billet and bloom had the lion’s share of semis exports with an aggregate of 2.19 million tons, down 6% YOY.
Slab exports amounted to 744,000 tons during the period, down 36%.
Exports of finished steel products declined by 12% to 1.42 million tons during the period.
Rebar accounted for the largest portion of finished steel products exported from Iran during the period, with 1.13 million tons. The total volume of Iran’s rebar exports experienced a 1% decline compared with the same period of last year.
Beam exports amounted to 56,000 tons during the period under review, down 18%.
About 66,000 tons of L-beam, T-beam and other types were also exported from Iran during the period, down 28%.
Hot-rolled coil exports amounted to 112,000 tons, registering a 53% decline.
The export of cold-rolled coil with 11,000 tons registered a 10% rise and coated coil with 41,000 tons, down 32%, was the other finished steel product exported from Iran.
Iran exported 312,000 tons of direct-reduced iron, down 54%.
Imports
The import of finished steel decreased by 15% YOY to 310,000 tons during the same period. It mostly included HRC with 152,000 tons, up 145%; CRC with 72,000 tons, down 59% compared with the year before; coated coil with 86,000, down 30%; beam with 6,000 tons, down 33% YOY; L-beam, T-beam and other types with 17,000 tons, down 32% YOY and rebar with 18,000 tons, up 6% year-on-year.
Semi-finished steel products imports hit 1,000 tons during the period, down 67% YOY. It only included slab with 1,000 tons, unchanged year-on-year.
Iran did not import any DRI during the period.
Apparent Use
Iran's apparent steel use in the first six months of the current fiscal year (March 21-Sept. 22) increased significantly compared with last year's corresponding period.
ASU totaled 9.24 million tons for finished products, posting a 15% year-on-year increase, the Iranian Steel Producers Association reported.
Apparent steel use is defined as production plus imports minus exports, sometimes also adjusted for changes in inventories.
Long steel products accounted for the largest portion of finished steel consumption with 4.57 million tons, up 13% YOY.
Rebar grabbed the biggest share in this section with 3.64 million tons, up 13% YOY, followed by beams with 545,000 tons (up 7% YOY) and L-beam, T-beam and other types with 381,000 tons (up 18% compared with the same period of last fiscal year).
Flat steel products accounted for 4.52 million tons of finished steel apparent use, up 14% YOY.
Among flat steel products, hot-rolled coil had the biggest share of apparent use with 4.41 million tons (up 18% YOY), followed by cold-rolled coil with 1.29 million tons (down 7% YOY) and coated coil with 760,000 tons (up 8% year-on-year).
ASU stood at 12.45 million tons for semi-finished products, registering a 31% growth YOY.
The apparent use of billet and bloom amounted to 7.17 million tons, up 32% compared with the same period of last year. The use of slab also increased by 29% to 5.28 million tons during the period.
DRI use stood at 17.38 million tons during the period under review, up 23% YOY.
World’s 10th Biggest Producer of Crude Steel
Iranian steel mills produced a total of 19.5 million tons of crude steel during January-August, registering a 7.8% rise compared with the corresponding period in 2021, new data released by the World Steel Association show.
The report also shows Iran's August output hit 2.1 million tons, registering a 64.7% year-on-year rise.
In terms of world ranking, Iran maintained its global standing as the world’s 10th biggest crude steelmaker.
China was the world’s largest producer during the eight-month period with 693.2 million tons of steel output, down 5.7% YOY. It was followed by India with 83.5 million tons (up 7.1 %), Japan with 60.7 million tons (down 5.2%), the United States with 54.9 million tons (down 3.7%), Russia with 48.9 million tons (down 5.8%), South Korea with 46 million tons (down 3%), Germany with 25.4 million tons (down 4.8%) and Turkey with 24.4 million tons (down 4.5%).
Iran is placed after Brazil (ninth) with 23.1 million tons (down 4.5% YOY).
The world’s 64 steelmakers produced 1.25 billion tons of steel in the eight months under review, down 5.1% YOY. Countries located in Asia and Oceania collectively produced 925.1 million tons of the total.
The Middle East produced 28.5 million tons of crude steel during the period, posting an increase of 6.9% compared with the same period of last year.
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.
The World Steel Association is one of the largest and most dynamic industrial associations, with members in every major steel-producing country.
Worldsteel represents steel producers, national and regional steel industry associations and steel research institutes. Members represent around 85% of global steel production.
The 64 countries included in the Worldsteel report produce 85% of global steel. These steelmakers produced 1.91 billion tons of steel last year, up 3.6% YOY.
Countries located in Asia and Oceania collectively produced 1.38 billion tons of the total while the Middle East produced 41.2 million tons of crude steel, posting an increase of 1.2% compared with the same period of last year.
Iranian steel mills produced a total of 28.5 million tons of crude steel in 2021, registering a 1.8% decline compared with 2020.
