Steel News Roundup

Published: Dec 7, 2020 11:30
Chongqing Steel, a subsidiary of China Chongqing Steel Group, announced that its controlling shareholder, Chongqing Changshou Steel completed a change in business registration on December 2.

SHANGHAI, Dec 7 (SMM) — This is a roundup of news in the steel industry for last week.

Baowu completes purchase of Chongqing Changshou Steel shares

Chongqing Steel, a subsidiary of China Chongqing Steel Group, announced that its controlling shareholder, Chongqing Changshou Steel completed a change in business registration on December 2. Chinese steel giant Baowu Group now holds 40% equity in Chongqing Changshou Steel, Sichuan Desheng Group Vanadium Titanium holds 35%, and Chongqing Strategic Emerging Industries Equity Investment Fund Partnership holds the remaining 25%. Baowu Group also indirectly holds 23.51% equity in Chongqing

Hebei Chengde Zhaofeng Iron & Steel have shut down in late November

As of November 29, the two 650 m³ blast furnaces and rolling mills of Chengde Zhaofeng Iron & Steel have been shut down. Hebei Chengde Zhaofeng Iron & Steel was established in September 2000 and is a private enterprise integrating iron ore mining, steel smelting and real estate development.

The capacity of Chengde Zhaofeng Iron & Steel will be transferred to Fangchenggang city, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, to build an intelligent section steel production base project for Fangchenggang Jinxi Section Steel Technology Co., Ltd., involving an iron making capacity of 1.48 million mt and a steelmaking capacity of 1.7 million mt.

Updates on steel mills' blast furnaces commissioning

  • Baogang Steel Desheng #2 furnace at 1780 production line of hot rolling mill successfully commissioned on November 28, 2020. The commissioning of the production line will drive output of 120,000 mt in December.

  • On the other hand, Chongqing Iron and Steel's No. 2 blast furnace (2500m³ ) is commissioned on November 30, suggesting the completion of the No.2 blast furnace, with output of 7,000 mt/day. Chongqing Iron & Steel's existing 4 blast furnaces are under operation, including three 2,500m³ BF and one 1.750m³ BF.

  • Bensteel's Group No.5 blast furnace was commissioned on November 30, representing the capacity replacement project of the plate ironmaking plant under national required policy. This included a total investment of 1.24 billion yuan with annual output of 2.44 million mt, fuel ratio of 510 kg/mt and process energy consumption of 370 kg/mt. The BF of first generation and hot blast furnaces are energy saving, with a lifespan of 20 and 30 years respectively.

For more information on the iron ore and steel sectors, please subscribe to our China Iron Ore Weekly and China Steel Briefing.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
Australia Reviews Anti-Dumping Duties on Galvanized Steel from India, Malaysia, Vietnam Amid Zinc Concerns
Sep 11, 2026 18:30
Australia Reviews Anti-Dumping Duties on Galvanized Steel from India, Malaysia, Vietnam Amid Zinc Concerns
Read More
Australia Reviews Anti-Dumping Duties on Galvanized Steel from India, Malaysia, Vietnam Amid Zinc Concerns
Australia Reviews Anti-Dumping Duties on Galvanized Steel from India, Malaysia, Vietnam Amid Zinc Concerns
On September 9, 2026, Australia initiated its second sunset review of anti-dumping measures on galvanized steel sheet from India, Malaysia and Vietnam, and separately launched a sunset review of countervailing measures on imports from India. The review covers July 2025-June 2026, with the final report expected by February 11, 2027. As galvanized steel is the largest end-use sector for zinc, the measures directly affect export costs and competitiveness, potentially impacting Australia’s domestic zinc demand and supply chain. Maintaining the duties would provide some protection for domestic steel and coating capacity, while termination could increase low-priced imports and affect regional zinc consumption. The final outcome remains subject to the authorities’ determination.
Sep 11, 2026 18:30
JCC Hongyuan Copper's $200M Expansion Project Aims to Boost Capacity to 550,000 mt by 2027
Sep 7, 2026 15:43
JCC Hongyuan Copper's $200M Expansion Project Aims to Boost Capacity to 550,000 mt by 2027
Read More
JCC Hongyuan Copper's $200M Expansion Project Aims to Boost Capacity to 550,000 mt by 2027
JCC Hongyuan Copper's $200M Expansion Project Aims to Boost Capacity to 550,000 mt by 2027
The 300,000 mt/year copper cathode expansion project of JCC Hongyuan Copper, a subsidiary of Jiangxi Copper Corporation, entered the pre-approval public notice stage of its environmental impact assessment on September 4, with a total investment of approximately 1.416 billion yuan. The project is planned to start construction in September 2026 and be completed in December 2027. Upon completion, JCC Hongyuan's total capacity will jump from 250,000 mt to 550,000 mt.
Sep 7, 2026 15:43
Japanese Yen Increases USD/JPY Drops Below 159 Amid Intervention Speculation
Sep 3, 2026 19:00
Japanese Yen Increases USD/JPY Drops Below 159 Amid Intervention Speculation
Read More
Japanese Yen Increases USD/JPY Drops Below 159 Amid Intervention Speculation
Japanese Yen Increases USD/JPY Drops Below 159 Amid Intervention Speculation
[SMM Precious Metal Express] The Japanese yen spiked sharply during Wednesday's trading, with USD/JPY falling below 159 and closing down 0.92% at 158.69, sparking speculation of Japanese currency intervention. The dollar index also dropped sharply, with a weaker dollar environment providing support for precious metals.
Sep 3, 2026 19:00