Iranian steelmakers’ production registered growth during the first 11 months of last Iranian year (March 21, 2022-Feb. 19) compared with the corresponding period of the year before, latest data released by the Iranian Steel Producers Association show.
They produced a total of 27.71 million tons of semi-finished products during the period, 9% more than in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Production of billet and bloom stood at 16.9 million tons, registering a 12% rise. Slab output stood at 10.81 million tons to mark a 6% rise.
The output of finished steel increased by 11% to 20.03 million tons.
Long steel products grabbed the highest share of finished steel output with 11.7 million tons, registering a 14% year-on-year increase.
Production of rebar stood at 9.72 million tons (up 15%), beams hit 1.19 million tons (up 6%) and L-beam, T-beam and other types of beams amounted to 785,000 tons (up 4%).
Flat steel production reached 8.33 million tons (up 8%) while hot-rolled coil output had the biggest share of flat steel production with 8.04 million tons, marking a 6% rise. It was followed by cold-rolled coil with 2.2 million tons (down 6.2%) and coated coil with 1.33 tons (down 3%).
The output of direct-reduced iron stood at 28.88 million tons during the period, up 5%.
Iran and India are the world’s biggest producers of DRI, also known as sponge iron
Semis, Finished Steel Exports
A total of 6.65 million tons of semi-finished steel products were exported from Iran during the same period under ISPA review to register a 0.1% year-on-year increase.
Billet and bloom had the lion’s share of semis exports with an aggregate of 4.9 million tons, up 6% compared with the previous year’s corresponding period.
Slab exports stood at 1.74 million tons during the period, down 13%.
Exports of finished steel products decreased by 4% to 2.89 million tons during the same period.
Rebar accounted for the biggest share of finished steel products exported from Iran during the period with 2.19 million tons. The total volume of Iran’s rebar exports experienced a 1% rise compared with the same period of last year.
Beam shipments weighed 125,000 tons during the period under review, down 5%.
About 160,000 tons of L-beam, T-beam and other types were also exported from Iran during the period, down 11%.
Hot-rolled coil exports hit 315,000 tons, registering a 23% fall.
Export of cold-rolled coil with 20,000 tons registered a 25% rise and that of coated coil with 76,000 tons, saw s 21% fall.
Iran exported 769,000 tons of direct-reduced iron during the period, down 22%.
Significant Rise in Imports
Imports registered significant growth during the 11 months.
Finished steel imports amounted to 865,000 tons during the period, registering a 33% year-on-year rise.
The imports mostly included HRC with 290,000 tons, up 128%; CRC with 213,000 tons, down 12% compared with the year before; coated coil with 179,000, down 10%; beam with 14,000 tons, down 7% YOY; L-beam, T-beam and other types with 33,000 tons, unchanged YOY and rebar with 88,000 tons, up 203% year-on-year.
A total of 6,000 tons of semi-finished steel products were imported during the same period, up 20% YOY. The imports only included billet and bloom with 6,000 tons, up 200% year-on-year.
Iran did not have any DRI imports during the period.
World’s Ninth Biggest Crude Steel Producer
Iranian steel mills registered a 21.1% rise in crude steel production during the first two months of 2023. They produced a total of 5.1 million tons of crude steel during the period, latest data released by the World Steel Association indicate.
Iran's February output hit 2.4 million tons, registering a 14.6% year-on-year rise.
In terms of world ranking, Iran maintained its global standing as the world’s 9th biggest crude steelmaker.
Iran registered the biggest growth in crude steel production during the period among the top 10 biggest producers in the world.
China was the world’s largest producer with 168.7 million tons, up 5.6% year-on-year. It was followed by India with 21.3 million tons (up 1%), Japan with 14.1 million tons (down 6.1%), the United States with 12.6 million tons (down 5.6%), Russia with 11.7 million tons (down 5.4%), South Korea with 11.1 million tons (down 1%) and Germany with 5.9 million tons (down 8.6%).
Iran is placed after Brazil (eighth) with 5.3 million tons (down 5.8%).
Turkey comes after Iran with 4.7 million tons (down 23.1%).
The world’s 63 steelmakers produced 297.8 million tons of crude steel in the period, down 0.8%. Countries located in Asia and Oceania collectively produced 223.9 million tons of the total.
The Middle East produced 7.4 million tons of crude steel during the period, registering an increase of 17.1%.
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 1.83 billion tons of steel last year, down 4.3%.
In 2022, countries located in Asia and Oceania collectively produced 1.35 billion tons of the total while the Middle East produced 44 million tons of crude steel, posting an increase of 7.1% compared with the same period of the previous year.
Iranian steel mills produced a total of 30.6 million tons of crude steel in 2022, registering an 8% growth compared with 2021.
MSC is the biggest steelmaker in Iran and the Middle East and North Africa region, accounting for about half of the country's steel production.
The state-owned company is located 65 km southwest of the city of Isfahan, near the city of Mobarakeh, Isfahan Province, Iran. It is one of the largest industrial complexes operating in Iran. MSC was commissioned after Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979 and initiated operations during 1993. It underwent major revamping during the 2000s.
MSC's products consist of hot- and cold-rolled sheets and coils, pickled coils, narrow strip coil, tinplate sheet and coil galvanized coil, prepainted coil and slab produced according to national and international standards.
These products meet the needs of various industries, such as automotive, home appliances, pipe making, pressure vessels, food, chemical and medical packing, construction, transportation, naval industries and metal equipment.
