News Global Market China 1957 13 August 2025
A pause may affect prices on the section steels market
Independent rolling mills in Tangshan, the center of steel production in Hebei Province, have received orders from the city authorities to suspend operations from August 25 to September 3 of this year, reports Mysteel.
Tangshan is located 155 km east of Beijing. According to sources, the decision aims to ensure good air quality ahead of a series of ceremonial events that will take place in the nation’s capital on September 3.
Additionally, the mentioned rolling mills in Tangshan may be required to halt production earlier (from August 16 to 25), depending on weather conditions.
According to Mysteel estimates, considering these new production restrictions, the total output of section steels at 35 enterprises monitored in this city district will decrease by 90,000 t per day.
According to a Shanghai-based analyst, Tangshan enterprises currently still have sufficient inventories of these products, so the market is unlikely to face a supply shortage in the short term. However, the expected reduction in production may lead to higher prices for section steels in the near future.
It should be recalled that China increased its steel exports by 1.6% in July 2025 compared to the previous month, reaching 9.836 million t. During the first seven months, the cumulative export of metal products amounted to 67.983 million t (+11.4% year-on-year). Meanwhile, in January–July, the country reduced its steel imports by 15.7% year-on-year, to 3.476 million t.
