Improved orders raise operating rates at galvanising plants in Sep

SHANGHAI, Oct 15 (SMM) – Operating rates across Chinese galvanising plants averaged 84.09% in September, up 2.31 percentage points from August, SMM data showed. On a yearly basis, rates increased by 0.2 percentage point after it decreased 2.7 percentage points in August.

The rates increased as manufacturers of steel tube and pipe in the north received more orders in the second half of September and as China Southern Power Grid Company made some orders for steel structures for transmission towers. Investment growth in rail transportation across some regions also raised operating rates.

The average operating rate across Chinese galvanising plants is likely to extend its gains to 85.31% in October, standing 5.49 percentage points higher than the same period last year, with smaller-scale winter production curbs across northern cities this year, and as orders improve across manufacturers of steel tube and pipe.