Galvanizing Plant Production Schedule Remained Stable, Operating Rates Rose Slightly [SMM Galvanizing Weekly Review]

SMM April 24: The operating rate of the galvanizing industry was 62.38% this week, up 0.25 percentage points WoW. Raw material side, zinc prices fluctuated at highs throughout the week, with downstream buyers mainly restocking on rigid demand without pre-holiday stockpiling sentiment, and zinc ingot inventories at galvanising enterprises edged down slightly. By segment, ferrous metals prices remained relatively firm since the Chinese New Year, with galvanized pipe traders mainly restocking on demand. Overall, round pipe demand was weak, but square pipe orders remained good, with major producers maintaining stable production schedules and finished product inventories increasing slightly. Structural components side, steel tower orders currently showed polarization, with major producers receiving good orders while smaller ones saw mediocre orders. PV orders still performed poorly. Export orders for transportation, steel towers, and profiles still performed well. Operating rates of galvanising producers in the structural components segment remained relatively good. Overall, the operating rate edged up slightly. Currently, enterprise production schedules are relatively stable, and the operating rate is expected to edge down to around 62.15% next week.