Iranian steelmakers produced a total of 3.06 million tons of semi-finished products in the first month of the current fiscal year (March 21-April 20), 6% more than in the corresponding period of last year, according to the Iranian Steel Producers Association.
Production of billet and bloom stood at 1.82 million tons, registering a 9% rise. Slab output stood at 1.24 million tons to mark a 1% rise.
The output of finished steel increased by 1% to 1.84 million tons.
Long steel products grabbed the highest share of finished steel output with 997,000 tons, registering a 4% increase.
The production of rebar stood at 788,000 tons (up 2%), beams hit 134,000 tons (up 19%) and L-beam, T-beam and other types of beams amounted to 75,000 tons (up 3%).
Flat steel production reached 851,000 tons (down 2%) while hot-rolled coil output had the biggest share of flat steel production with 836,000 tons, marking a 2% decline. It was followed by cold-rolled coil with 233,000 tons (up 12%) and coated coil with 144,000 tons (up 26%).
The output of direct reduced iron stood at 3.4 million tons during the period, up 5%.
DRI, also known as sponge iron, is produced from the 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 DRI, also known as sponge iron.
Semis Exports Drop Slightly as Finished Steel Shipments Jump
ISPA had earlier announced that 631,000 tons of semi-finished steel products were exported from Iran during the same period to register a 1% year-on-year decrease.
Billet and bloom had the lion’s share of semis exports with an aggregate of 451,000 tons, down 22% compared with the previous year’s corresponding period.
Slab exports stood at 180,000 tons, up 227%.
As for finished steel products, exports increased by 20% to 220,000 tons during the same period.
Rebar accounted for the biggest share of finished steel exports from Iran during the period with 161,000 tons. The total volume of Iran’s rebar exports experienced an 11% rise compared with the same period of last year while beam shipments weighed 10,000 tons, up 100%.
About 7,000 tons of L-beam, T-beam and other types were also exported from Iran during the period, unchanged year-on-year.
Hot-rolled coil exports hit 35,000 tons, registering a 106% increase while that of cold-rolled coil with 1,000 tons registered a 50% decline and that of coated coil with 6,000 tons, saw a 25% fall.
Iran exported 50,000 tons of direct-reduced iron during the period, up 4,900%.
Iron ore concentrate exports amounted to 366,000 tons, registering a 36,500% growth.
A total of 1.12 million pellet were exported during the period, registering a 1,079% increase.
Fiscal 2022-23 in Review
According to ISPA, Iranian steelmakers produced a total of 30.43 million tons of semi-finished products in the fiscal 2022-23 (ended March 20), 9% more than in the previous year.
Production of billet and bloom stood at 18.74 million tons, registering a 12% rise. Slab output stood at 11.69 million tons to mark a 4% rise.
The output of finished steel increased by 10% to 21.59 million tons.
Long steel products grabbed the highest share of finished steel output with 12.53 million tons, registering a 12% increase.
Production of rebar stood at 10.39 million tons (up 14%), beams hit 1.29 million tons (up 6%) and L-beam, T-beam and other types of beams amounted to 851,000 tons (up 2%).
Flat steel production reached 9.06 million tons (up 8%) while hot-rolled coil output had the biggest share of flat steel production with 8.73 million tons, marking a 5% rise. It was followed by cold-rolled coil with 2.41 million tons (down 7%) and coated coil with 1.49 tons (down 1%).
The output of direct reduced iron stood at 31.73 million tons during the period, up 5%.
Last year, 7.37 million tons of semi-finished steel products were exported to register a 4% decrease compared with the previous year.
Billet and bloom had the lion’s share of semis exports with an aggregate of 5.32 million tons, up 4% compared with the year before.
Slab exports stood at 2.04 million tons, down 21%.
Exports of finished steel products declined by 6% during the same period to 3.19 million tons.
Rebar accounted for the biggest share of finished steel exports from Iran during the period with 2.42 million tons. The total volume of Iran’s rebar exports experienced a 3% decrease compared with the fiscal 2021-22.
Beam shipments weighed 136,000 tons during the period under review, down 6%.
About 174,000 tons of L-beam, T-beam and other types were also exported from Iran during the period, down 13%.
Hot-rolled coil exports hit 357,000 tons, registering an 18% decline while that of cold-rolled coil with 21,000 tons registered a 24% rise and that of coated coil with 83,000 tons, saw a 28% fall.
Iran exported 864,000 tons of direct reduced iron during the year, down 18%.
Major World Producer of Crude Steel
According to the World Steel Association, Iran registered the biggest growth in crude steel production in 2022 among the top 10 producers in the world.
Iranian steel mills produced a total of 30.6 million tons of crude steel in 2022, registering an 8% rise compared with 2021.
Iran's December output hit 2.7 million tons, registering a 3.3% 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 with 1.01 billion tons, down 2.1%. It was followed by India with 124.7 million tons (up 5.5%), Japan with 89.2 million tons (down 7.4%), the United States with 80.7 million tons (down 5.9%), Russia with 71.5 million tons (down 7.2%), South Korea with 65.9 million tons (down 6.5%), Germany with 36.8 million tons (down 8.4%) and Turkey with 35.1 million tons (down 12.9%).
Iran is placed after Brazil (ninth) with 34 million tons (down 5.8%).
The world’s 64 steelmakers produced 1.83 billion tons of crude steel last year, down 4.3%. Countries located in Asia and Oceania collectively produced 1.35 billion tons of the total.
The Middle East produced 44 million tons of crude steel during the period, registering an increase of 7.1%.
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 1.91 billion tons of steel last year, up 3.6%.
In 2021, 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 the previous 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.
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.
