Chinese steel firms are consolidating and restructuring, industry concentration boosts their bargaining power for raw materials like iron ore

Both the State Council and the Ministry of Industry have indicated that by 2025, China's top ten steel producers will hold 60-70% of industry capacity. Recently, China's steel industry has seen steady concentration growth, particularly a significant rise in 2022. SMM statistics reveal that in 2022, China's top 10 steel producers' combined output was 444 million mt, 43.6% of the nation's total, up 1.5% YoY. The top 20 firms produced 588 million mt, 57.7% of the total output. Since this year's start, numerous steel companies have been merged or acquired. SMM has compiled the following:

On March 1, Anyang Steel Group announced its registration and establishment as Henan Steel Group, following the Henan Provincial Party Committee and Government's plan, with a registered capital of 20 billion yuan. Henan Steel Group's establishment will propel the restructuring and integration of Henan Province's steel industry.

On April 2, Xinyegang Steel Co., Ltd., Nanjing Iron & Steel Group Co., Ltd., Nanjing New Industry Investment Group Co., Ltd., and Nanjing Iron and Steel signed the "Strategic Investment Framework Agreement" and "Capital Increase Agreement" for Nanjing Iron and Steel. Xinyegang Steel plans a 13.58 billion yuan capital increase in Nanjing Iron and Steel. Once completed, Xinyegang Steel will control a 55.2482% stake in Nanjing Iron and Steel.

In June, Lingyuan Iron and Steel announced plans for Angang Steel Group Limited's restructuring with Lingyuan Iron & Steel, potentially changing the company's actual controller. Post-restructuring, Angang Steel Group Limited's crude steel capacity may reach 70 million mt.

On August 28, 2023, Hebei Huaxi Special Steel saw a major shift in business registration information. Hebei Jingye Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. acquired 100% company control, changing the legal representative from "Dang Xianxing" to "Liu Dongyue". Public records show Liu Dongyue, from Hebei Jingye Group Co., Ltd., previously held the role of Deputy General Manager at Yunnan Jingye Steel Company.

On October 17, *ST Xining Special Steel reported that West Steel, Qinghai Mining and Metallurgy Technology Co., Ltd., and restructuring investors including Beijing Jianlong Heavy Industry Group Co., Ltd., China Greatwall Asset Management Corporation's Gansu Branch, China Foreign Economy And Trade Trust Co.,Ltd., and Shenzhen Merchants Ping An Investment Management Co., Ltd., each signed the "Restructuring Investment Agreement".

On October 19, Xinyu Iron and Steel revealed that its main shareholder, Jiangxi Guokong Capital, inked an equity transfer agreement with China Baowu on October 16, free of charge. Post-transfer, China Baowu will own 51% of Xinyu Iron & Steel Corporation Limited., asserting control over Xinyu Iron & Steel. Xinyu Iron and Steel' controlling stake will shift from Jiangxi Guokong Capital to China Baowu, altering the actual control from Jiangxi Provincial State-owned Assets Supervision to the State Council's State-owned Assets Supervision.

End of October, Henan's Industry and IT Department announced Henan YAXIN Steel Industry's energy-saving, carbon-reducing green tech upgrade project (Phase I). The notice revealed YAXIN Steel Industry's significant merger with Boxin Bar Material and a capacity purchase from Huixin Special Steel, planning a new 150t converter and a yearly capacity of 1.6 million tons.

On November 17, State Administration for Market Regulation's Anti-Monopoly Enforcement Bureau II granted unconditional approval for business consolidation cases from November 6-12. Among them, the case of "China Baowu Steel Group Co., Ltd. acquiring shares of Shandong Iron and Steel Co., Ltd." was finalized on November 6. This means that China Baowu's acquisition of Shandong Iron and Steel has received unconditional approval