Coated steel sheets overtake HRC as key export pillar: can the momentum hold amid increasing anti-dumping cases?

Source: Mysteel Aug 07, 2025 15:30

Coated sheet steel overtook hot-rolled coil (HRC) as the new pillar of China's steel exports in the first half of 2025. From January to May, HRC exports fell by 2.6 million tonnes on-year due to anti-dumping measures imposed by multiple countries. Coated sheet steel filled the gap with its pricing advantage and higher technological value, surging by 1.95 million tonnes on-year in export volume and becoming the top product among China's various finished steel export categories.

By continuing HRC's strategy of relying on low prices to capture market share, coated sheet steel exports grew rapidly in ASEAN countries. From January to May 2025, ASEAN contributed to 30% to the overall increase in coated sheet steel exports, with the Philippines alone accounting for 14.8%. However, it is