SMM Survey: December Sees Sharp Rise in Blast Furnace Maintenance, Pig Iron Output Projected to Bottom Out in January Before Rebounding

[SMM Survey: Significant Increase in Blast Furnace Maintenance in December, Pig Iron Production Expected to Rebound After Hitting Bottom in January]

According to SMM's tracking survey data, 38 blast furnaces underwent maintenance in December, resulting in a daily pig iron reduction of 163,500 mt. The maintenance activities were mainly concentrated in north China, east China, and central China. Meanwhile, 24 blast furnaces resumed production, increasing daily pig iron production by 102,000 mt. The regions where blast furnaces resumed production largely overlapped with those undergoing maintenance. The impact from blast furnace maintenance significantly increased in December. SMM data shows that blast furnace maintenance in December led to a net reduction in pig iron production of 7.7815 million mt, up 1.8432 million mt from November. The average daily pig iron production decreased by approximately 60,000 mt. Pig iron production in January is expected to improve MoM from December, but the room for improvement is limited. ......