Mobarakeh Steel Company, Iran’s biggest steelmaker, produced 5.21 million tons of semi-finished products during the current Iranian year’s first six months (March 21-Sept. 22), to register an 18% year-on-year rise.
The steelmaker also produced 4.13 million tons of finished steel during the period, up 11% YOY, new data released by the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization show.
Located in southwestern Isfahan, Mobarakeh Steel Company is the biggest steel producer not only in Iran, but also in the Middle East and North Africa region.
In terms of semis production, MSC was followed by Khuzestan Steel Company with 1.74 million tons of output in six months.
Esfahan Steel Company came next with 1.3 million tons of semis output and was followed by South Kaveh Steel Company with 835,712 tons, Chadormalu Steel Company with 591,705 tons and Khorasan Steel Company with 460,781 tons during the period under review.
In terms of finished products, MSC was followed by ESCO with 1.27 million tons. Other key producers of finished products were Kavir Steel Company, Oxin Steel Company, Khorasan Steel Company, Bonab Sheet Company, Azarbaijan Steel Company and Sirjan Steel Company.
MSC also topped the list of Iranian steelmakers both in semi-finished and finished steel production during the year’s sixth month (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) by producing 972,454 tons and 591,083 tons of semis and finished steel products respectively.
According to the Iranian Steel Producers Association, Iranian steelmakers produced a total of 15.39 million tons of semi-finished products in H1, up 19% year-on-year.
The 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 stood at 17.69 million tons during the period, up 20% YOY.
Upstream Output
IMIDRO has also released data on the output of Iran’s upstream steel industry in H1, which shows a decline in the production of iron ore concentrate and pellet but a rise in that of DRI.
The IMIDRO report takes into account the output of major producers, therefore the overall production should be higher than the figures quoted here.
A total of 24.73 million tons of iron ore concentrate were produced during the six months under review, registering a 1% decrease compared with the same period of last year.
Golgohar Mining and Industrial Complex had the highest share of output by producing 6.63 million tons, 16% less than in the same period of last year.
Chadormalu Mining and Industrial Complex followed with 5.36 million tons (down 13% YOY), followed by Goharzamin Iron Ore Company with 3.14 million tons (up 32% YOY) and Middle East Mines and Mining Industries Development Holding Company with 2.88 million tons (up 3% YoY) of output during the period under review.
Other major producers included Iran Central Iron Ore Company with 2.13 million tons (up 7% YOY), SIMIDCO with 1.28 million tons (up 14%) and Sangan Khorasan Steel Company with 1.26 million tons (up 107% YOY).
Iron ore concentrate output during Aug. 23-Sept. 22 amounted to 4.11 million tons, registering a 3% decline compared with the same period of last year.
Golgohar was the leading producer during the month, accounting for 884,231 tons of the monthly output and was followed by Chadormalu with 840,627 tons of monthly output.
The pellet output of major steel mills reached 25.22 million tons during the period, posting a decline of 2% compared with the same period of the previous year.
Golgohar was again the largest producer with 5.21 million tons (down 14% YOY), followed by Mobarakeh Steel Company with 3.78 million tons (up 5% YOY), MIDHCO with 3.05 million tons (up 4% YOY), Khouzestan Steel Company with 2.67 million tons (down 3%) and Sangan Khorasan Steel Company with 2.36 million tons (up 17%).
Other major pellet producers included Chadormalu with 1.82 million tons (up 7% YOY), Goharzamin Iron Ore Company with 1.75 million tons (down 4% YOY) and Opal Parsian Sangan with 1.56 million tons (down 12% YOY).
Pellet production witnessed a 7% year-on-year increase during the sixth month to 5.08 million tons, IMIDRO’s data show.
Golgohar had the lion’s share with 938,506 tons of pellet output in the month under review.
The production of direct reduced iron stood at 16.61 million tons during the first half of the current fiscal year, up 15% YOY.
Mobarakeh accounted for the largest share of the output with 3.98 million tons (up 16% YOY) and was followed by KSC with 1.83 million tons (up 15% YOY), Golgohar with 1.53 million tons (up 13% YOY), South Kaveh Steel Company with 971,007 tons (up 19% YOY), Chadormalu Steel Company with 922,816 tons (up 13% YOY) and Saba Steel Company with 808,624 tons (up 35% YOY).
DRI production reached 2.95 million tons during the sixth month, indicating a 23% increase YOY.
Mobarakeh Steel Company produced 673,305 tons of DRI to lead the market in the sixth month. The company's monthly output grew by 16% compared with the previous year’s corresponding period.
DRI, also known as sponge iron, is produced from direct reduction of iron ore in the form of lumps, pellets or fines by a reducing gas. It can be processed to create wrought iron.
Iran and India are the world’s biggest producers of direct reduced iron.
