According to SMM survey, the average operating rate of zinc oxide enterprises was 61.1% last week, down 1.0 percentage point from a week earlier. Raw material inventories increased. While the low operating rates at galvanising plants in the north tightened the supply of zinc slag, some zinc oxide plants restocked raw materials at lower prices during the week, which led to a slight rebound in raw material inventories. Tyre-grade zinc oxide orders were poor amid low operating rates at all-steel tyre producers.
As zinc prices rose during the week, trading of some zinc oxide plants picked up, with orders differing across enterprises. Transportation and raw material procurement were not greatly affected by environmental factors, but some plants lowered their operating rates due to poor orders. The operating rates of zinc oxide plants will remain at the current level this week.
