Iran Steel Market Conference Next Week

Iranian government officials and steel industry players met at Financial Tribune’s headquarters in Tehran on Tuesday to review the final agenda and general outlook for the Seventh Iranian Steel Market Conference, otherwise known as ISMC 2017. 

The conference is scheduled for 16-17 February in the Iranian capital.

Domestic and foreign steel giants are expected to attend the conference this year, just like the previous editions. 

The prestigious annual event is hosted by Donya-e-Eqtesad Taban Co., the parent company of Financial Tribune.

Officials who were present at the Tuesday meeting included the head of Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization, Mehdi Karbasian; advisor to first vice president, Mosfata Moazzenzadeh; representatives of Iranian Iron Ore Producers and Exporters Association, Qadir Qiafeh and Bahram Shakouri; the head of Iran National Development Fund, Ahmad Doust-Hosseini; and the head of Iran Mercantile Exchange, Hamed Soltaninejad.

ISMC 2017's first speaker will be the former Iranian Parliament speaker, Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri. Karbasian will be next and is set to expand on IMIDRO’s current projects and achievements, followed by managing director of Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, Saeed Mohammadzadeh, who is expected to discuss investment potential and deficiencies of Iran's rail transportation system.

CEO of the Italian Danieli Group Gianpietro Benedetti, chief executive director of Spanish GRUPO SARRALLE, CEO of German SMS Group Burkhard Dahmen and Chairman of Austria’s INTECO Harald Holzgruber will also discuss investment opportunities and risks in Iran’s steel industry, followed by a global market analysis by a representative of the Turkish Steel Exporters Association, Cihan Akendiz.

Iranian steelmakers are currently grappling with weak demand at home due to the slump in the construction sector. 

The government has set the ambitious goal of boosting crude steelmaking capacity to 55 million tons by the end of 2025, as stipulated by the 20-Year Vision Plan (2005-25).

According to experts, the steel sector has to export at least 20 million tons of the 55-million-ton crude steel target per year in order to sustain. 

According to Minister of Industries, Mining and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh, Iranian steel mills have so far materialized 31 million tons of the steel manufacturing capacity target.