China's special steel industry has formed 30 million tons of capacity above the Citic Special steel system, 10 million tons of capacity above the Baowu system, Shagang system, 5 million tons of capacity above the River steel system, Jianlong system, Hunan steel system, 1 million tons of capacity above the new cast pipe, Xing Steel, Jiyuan steel and other industrial competition pattern.

In the future, when the domestic steel production is in the development of reduction, the special steel production will remain relatively stable. It is expected that in 2025, the special steel production of China's major special steel enterprises will remain at the level of 83 million tons.

"Special steel is a relative concept. Historical development shows that the connotation of special steel is updated with technological progress and market changes." On February 1, Liu Jianjun, secretary-general of the China Special Steel Enterprises Association, said in an interview with the reporter of China Metallurgical News that the history of steel development is a history of special steel renewal.

The application of special steel faces the major needs of the country and is an indispensable basic raw material for many high-end manufacturing industries. Special steel production capacity is also an important indicator of whether a country can become a steel power. Because of this, special steel is a material with mission characteristics, which will update its connotation in the continuous development of steel, and needs to be in the forefront of supporting downstream development, and can always maintain demand in market changes.

China's special steel industry has entered a new stage of development

"In the process of achieving supply and demand balance upgrading, China's special steel industry has entered the stage of shifting from quantity and scale expansion to focus on variety quality brand development." Liu Jianjun said that during this period, with the further merger and reorganization of the industry, the integration of special steel production bases and special steel products within large enterprise groups, and the elimination of market competition, the specialized division of labor in China's special steel industry will gradually form.

He introduced that with the support of national policies, China's special steel industry has made great achievements under the efforts of several generations, such as the world's first special steel output, continuous optimization of product structure, some equipment levels into the world's advanced ranks, and some subdivisions of product quality to reach the world's advanced level. Subsequently, he introduced the development status of China's special steel industry to the reporter of China Metallurgical News.

In terms of production scale, at present, China's special steel production ranks first in the world, and the output of most special steel varieties also ranks first in the world. According to the statistics of the Special Steel Association, in 2023, the main member units of the Special Steel Association produced 76 million tons of special crude steel, an increase of 1.246 million tons, an increase of 1.7%, of which the production of special quality alloy steel was 29.574 million tons, an increase of 905,000 tons, an increase of 3.2%; The production of 69 million tons of special steel, an increase of 3.243 million tons, an increase of 4.9%, of which the production of special quality alloy steel was 25.25 million tons, an increase of 2.176 million tons, an increase of 9.4%. Liu Jianjun said that the supply and demand of special steel has maintained a stable growth trend for many years, the industrial and product structure has been continuously optimized, and the development of process technology has continued to make progress. The special steel industry has formed products that meet the needs of professional varieties at different levels and grades of the market, and continues to provide key material support for Chinese manufacturing.

In terms of scientific and technological innovation, at present, most of the special steel products that could not be produced have been developed, and the special steel products that could not be produced stably have achieved stable supply and been applied in the downstream key areas; Some products also realize the leap from following to leading, such as gear steel, spring steel and other automotive steel, as well as bearing steel, high-performance oil and gas pipeline steel; The quality of a number of products has reached the international first-class level, such as 650 degrees Celsius ultra-supercritical thermal power steel, steel for large-scale hydropower projects, rack steel for offshore platforms and mooring chain steel, and steel for offshore wind power. "At present, some of China's special steel products have become a part of the global high-end equipment manufacturing industry chain." 'he said.

In terms of capacity scale, in 2023, CITIC Special Steel will integrate Nangang Group, and Jianlong Group will restructure Xining Special Steel. Since then, China's special steel industry has formed a competitive pattern of industries such as CITIC Special Steel with a capacity of more than 30 million tons, Baogu and Shagang with a capacity of more than 10 million tons, Hesteel with a capacity of more than 5 million tons, Jianlong and Hunan Steel with a capacity of more than 1 million tons, and new cast pipe, Xing Steel and Jiyuan Steel with a capacity of more than 1 million tons. "These large-scale special steel clusters will have a positive impact on the concentration of China's special steel industry and the orderly formation of a diversified market pattern, which will help improve the overall competitiveness of the industry and promote the sustainable development of the special steel industry." "He said.

In the future, China's special steel demand will remain stable

"Throughout the development of the world's steel industry, the common denominator in the development of steel in developed countries is that after steel production reaches a certain scale, the proportion of special steel gradually increases." Therefore, the future of domestic steel production in the reduction of development, special steel production will remain relatively stable. It is expected that in 2025, the special steel production of China's major special steel enterprises will remain at the level of 83 million tons." Liu Jianjun analyzed the development history of steel in typical developed countries and the future development environment of special steel industry at home and abroad, and reached the above judgment.

He told the China Metallurgical News reporter that from the steel development process of typical developed countries such as the United States, Japan and Germany, the steel industry of various countries has experienced stages such as cultivation, development, peak, reduction, post-peak recovery and stable development.

From the current reduction stage corresponding to the development stage of China's steel industry, in the later stage of industrialization and urbanization development, the steel production in developed countries has basically reached its peak, and the obvious decline in steel demand for real estate and infrastructure industries has become the main factor in the decline in steel production, other factors include the completion of large-scale equipment renewal in the manufacturing industry, the impact of resources and energy constraints.

From the perspective of post-peak recovery stage, the transformation and upgrading measures of developed countries are mainly two. First, product structure optimization. Steel enterprises in developed countries have gradually shifted their focus to explore new technologies, shift the industrial focus, and actively improve steel quality and added value to meet the new demand based on advanced manufacturing, and began to reduce the output of low-end products with a wide range and low local competitiveness. Second, optimize industrial distribution. Through the gradual transfer of industrial layout from resource and energy oriented layout to areas close to consumption, low labor costs, and weak environmental protection requirements, Japan, Germany and other measures to enhance industrial concentration and competitiveness through mergers and restructuring, elimination of backward production capacity, in order to promote the optimization of steel industry layout and reduce homogenized production capacity.

From the point of view of the stable development stage, after the transformation and upgrading measures have achieved a certain effect, the developed countries have finally formed a market competition pattern dominated by special steel products. At present, the proportion of special steel in developed countries is relatively high, Japan's annual production of special steel accounts for about 20% of total steel production, France and Germany are 15% ~ 20%, and Sweden is as high as 45%. "This shows that the demand for special steel has not decreased with the decline in overall steel demand." 'he said.

Subsequently, Liu Jianjun analyzed that China's special steel industry has the largest and most active manufacturing domestic demand market and a huge replacement space for imports, coupled with the future mainly with the special steel product industry's "14th Five-Year Plan" plan, the guidance of relevant national policies and the actual effect, as well as the analysis of future demand, special steel has a higher probability of good demand. In addition, the new demand for the amount of special steel brought by the emerging industry is, on the whole, the structural adjustment of special steel varieties, and the impact on the overall demand for special steel is not too great.

"The central task and goal of China's special steel industry is to achieve high-end, intelligent and green." Liu Jianjun said that it is expected that by 2025, the supply-side structural reform of China's special steel industry will make significant progress, and the comprehensive competitiveness will be greatly improved; The innovation capacity has been significantly enhanced, and a number of international leading innovation enterprises have been built. The stability and consistency of product quality have been greatly improved, and a number of key short-plate steel varieties have been overcome. Green and low-carbon development has been comprehensively promoted, a number of low-carbon green factories have been formed, and a series of green and low-carbon special steel products have been created. A new level of intelligence, cultivating a number of smart workshops and smart factories; The international influence of the standard continues to increase, and a number of standards with international leading level have been revised; The development pattern of special steel industry with advanced technology, stable quality, prominent brand, green and low-carbon, good economic benefits and strong comprehensive competitiveness has been formed, and a number of special steel enterprises with international competitiveness have been built, and remarkable progress has been made in the construction of special steel power.