[SMM survey] the opening rate of the primary lead smelter in February is 57.49 per cent. What is the expected opening rate in March?

Published: Mar 11, 2019 14:56

News from SMM3 on the 11th of July

According to SMM research, in February, which coincides with the traditional Spring Festival, large primary lead refineries are on duty and produce normally, but because February is only 28 days, and some refineries in Hunan, Yunnan, and Henan begin to overhaul during the Spring Festival, Therefore, the opening rate of primary lead smelter decreased in February compared with the previous month. In addition, the year-on-year increase in the opening rate is due to: in February of the same period, there was a blizzard extreme weather, power restrictions in Jiangxi, Hunan and other places, smelters suspended production for some reason, and enterprises are basically normal production this year.

The operating rate of large enterprises with an annual production capacity of more than 100000 tons fell 6.12 per cent to 69.58 per cent from a month earlier. Because February has only 28 working days, it has a greater impact on the output of large refineries in February than in January, while in terms of production, refineries basically maintain normal production during the Spring Festival.

The start-up rate of medium-sized enterprises with an annual production capacity of 5-100000 tons fell 16.3 per cent to 52.97 per cent from a month earlier. Hunan Yuteng, Yinxing, Henan Qinling and other smelters began to overhaul and stop production in February. At the same time, because of the shortage of crude lead supply, the output of Henan Persimmon Penang Refinery reached full pressure.

The operating rate of small enterprises with an annual production capacity of less than 50,000 tons fell 16.54 percent to 27.9 percent from a month earlier. Individual small factories such as Chuangyuan economy and trade began to overhaul, while some small factories in other areas, due to the low trend of lead prices in February, production profits are lower, so take advantage of the Spring Festival period to stop production and rest.

In March, Yunnan Revitalization, Hunan Yuteng, Yinxing and other pre-maintenance refineries are concentrated to resume production, while the maintenance refinery is only Xinling, Henan Province, so March is the production recovery month, the operating rate is expected to increase by 9.61% to 67.1% compared with the previous month.

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