According to an SMM survey, as of November 13, the operating rate of blast furnaces at 242 surveyed steel mills was 90.74%, up 0.14% WoW. The capacity utilisation rate of blast furnaces was 91.34%, up 0.29% WoW. The daily average pig iron production of the sample steel mills was 2.4535 million mt, up 7,000 mt WoW.
Image 1: Blast Furnace Operating Rate & Capacity Utilisation Rate
Data Source: SMM
Image 2: Future Pig Iron Forecast
Data Source: SMM
During this period, three blast furnaces were under maintenance, five blast furnaces resumed production, and one new blast furnace was commissioned. Entering November, temperatures in north-west China began to drop, and some steel mills started winter breaks for their blast furnaces, leading to a decline in local pig iron production. However, some previously maintained blast furnaces resumed production during this period, and a new blast furnace in south-west China was commissioned, resulting in a slight increase in overall pig iron production.
Looking ahead to next week, some steel mills in north-west China still have winter break plans for their blast furnaces. Coupled with the recent contraction in steel mill profits and the current pressure from environmental protection-driven production restrictions, blast furnace maintenance may accelerate, and pig iron production is expected to decline again.
190 Sample Blast Furnace Operating Rate
