Iran’s Steel Exports Grow 26%

The export volume for Azar, the ninth month of the Iranian year (Nov. 22-Dec. 21), stood at 529,348 tons, up 10% year-on-year.

Exports have been continuously on the rise this year month-on-month except for Mehr and Ordibehesht, the seventh and second months of the Iranian year respectively.

KSC Remains on Top

Khouzestan Steel Company exported a record high of 1.94 million tons of slab, bloom and billet during the nine-month period, registering a 46% rise YOY, to remain the biggest Iranian steel exporter.

Bloom exports had the lion’s share of KSC's shipments with 861,726 tons, going up 150% YOY. Billet exports came next with 613,242 tons up 16%, followed by slabs with 499,452 tons, up 5% YOY.

Despite having sustained double-digit growth each and every month this year, Azar was witness to KSC’s shipments that dropped 2% to reach 239,037 tons. The figure is up 41%, however, compared to the month before.

According to KSC Manager Mohammad Keshani, the company is targeting to export 2.2 million tons this year.

The steelmaker, located in the southwestern Khuzestan Province, exports to over a dozen countries. About half of the exports go to the Middle East and North Africa region, while other major export destinations are located in the Far East and Americas.

 Flat Shipments Drive ESCO Exports

Esfahan Steel Company was the second biggest exporter during the nine months with 805,434 tons of beam, rebar, coils and other products shipped overseas, up 87% YOY.

Rebar made up 115,451 tons of ESCO’s overall exports, rising 6% YOY. It was followed by beam and coil with 80,343 tons and 48,589 tons respectively. Beam shipments were down 25% YOY, while coil exports surged 999%. Steel products listed as "other" made up 561,051 tons of all the exports, up 167% YOY.

Azar shipments grew 146% on a YOY basis to reach 63,059 tons. All commodities’ exports were up in double digits, with coil surging 1,010% YOY to 8,626 tons.

HOSCO Grows as MSC Sinks

Hormozgan Steel Company outperformed its parent company, Mobarakeh Steel Company, for the sixth consecutive month by shipping 851,138 tons of slabs, up 5% YOY. The steelmaker’s exports in the ninth month rose by 1% YOY to 73,241 tons.

Mobarakeh stood at fourth place, as it shipped a total of 784,612 tons of hot- and cold-rolled, acid-washed, tin-plated, coated, checkered and galvanized flat steel during the nine months, down 43% YOY.

MSC's Azar shipments sank 58% to 57,231 tons.

Together with its subsidiaries, Mobarakeh Steel is the largest flat producer in the Middle East and North Africa region, accounting for 1% of Iran’s GDP.

Other Producers

South Kaveh Steel Company came next, as its billet exports stood at 548,000 tons. Its Azar shipments stood at 80,000 tons.

Khorasan Steel Company was next with 81,623 tons of rebar exports, up 59% YOY. Its exports during the ninth month surged 1,937% to 4,339 tons.

Iran Alloy Steel Company took the next rank with 58,712 tons of rebar shipments, up 91% YOY. Its exports during Azar grew 228% to 4,159 tons.

Khouzestan Oxin Steel Company was next with 7,469 tons of plates, down 54% YOY. It exported 3,282 tons in the ninth month, up 167% YOY.

As part of the 20-Year Vision Plan (2005-25), the Iranian steel industry aims to become the world’s sixth largest steelmaker by reaching an output capacity of 55 million tons per year by the deadline (2025).

Exports are expected to reach 8 million tons in the current fiscal year, which ends on March 20, 2018.