Amid the wave of profound adjustment and upgrading of the global industrial structure, metal materials, as the core cornerstone of industrial development, are undergoing unprecedented and profound changes in their market landscape. Key categories such as Galvalume Steel, Galvanized Steel, Aluminum Coil/Pipe/Plate, Stainless Steel, Aluzinc Steel, and Prepainted Steel With their unique performance advantages, they have shone brightly in numerous fields such as construction, automobiles, and new energy, jointly driving the industry towards a new stage of high-quality development.
Aluminized zinc Steel and Aluzinc Steel have become the new favorites in the construction and manufacturing industries due to their outstanding corrosion resistance and comprehensive performance. Its unique coating structure - a protective layer formed by the scientific proportioning of elements such as aluminum and zinc - enables its service life in outdoor environments to far exceed that of traditional steel, effectively resisting wind and rain erosion as well as ultraviolet radiation. In the construction of large-scale factories, the roofs and walls built with such materials are not only strong and durable but also can reduce the maintenance costs in the later stage. In the field of high-end home appliance manufacturing, its excellent surface finish meets the high-quality requirements for the appearance of home appliances, thus the demand has soared. Data shows that the global market size of aluminized zinc steel increased by 6.2% year-on-year in 2024, reaching 85 billion US dollars. Among them, the Asia-Pacific region contributed nearly 50% of the increase, and the infrastructure construction boom in emerging markets such as China and India became the main driving force. Meanwhile, the enterprise has been constantly making breakthroughs in coating technology. The successful development of low-chromium and environmentally friendly coatings has enabled the products to not only meet high performance requirements but also better comply with global environmental protection regulations such as the EU REACH, further expanding the international market.
Galvanized steel, as a classic metal material, has regained its vitality through innovation. In addition to continuously playing a role in traditional fields such as building water supply and drainage pipes and power transmission towers, the application of high-weather-resistant galvanized steel in the chassis components of new energy vehicles has achieved a major breakthrough. The ultra-high strength galvanized steel developed by a well-known steel enterprise has a tensile strength of over 1500MPa and a yield strength exceeding 1200MPa, meeting the dual demands of automotive lightweighting and safety. The order volume of this product has increased by 30% year-on-year, and the demand far exceeds the supply. In addition, the intelligent upgrade of the galvanizing process has achieved remarkable results. Through the precise control of the coating thickness by the automated control system, the error is controlled within ±2μm, which has increased the material utilization rate by 15% and reduced the production cost by 8%, greatly enhancing the market competitiveness of the products.
Aluminum Coil/Pipe/Plate is experiencing explosive growth under the trend of lightweighting. Aluminum coils, with their excellent ductility, have achieved a high-end transformation in the packaging industry. The application volume of ultra-thin aluminum foil with a thickness of only 0.005mm in lithium battery packaging has grown by an average of 25% annually, providing strong support for the miniaturization and high energy density of lithium batteries. In the aerospace field, aluminum tubes have successfully replaced some copper tubes, reducing the weight of aircraft by more than 15% under the same strength, while enhancing corrosion resistance and extending service life. Aluminum Plates have become the preferred material for green buildings. In building-integrated photovoltaic projects, the application scope of special aluminum plates with both load-bearing and conductive functions is constantly expanding. Currently, the usage rate in new photovoltaic building projects in China has reached 35%. With the global emphasis on the "dual carbon" goals, the recycling rate of aluminum materials has been continuously increasing.
Currently, the proportion of recycled aluminum in aluminum processing materials has reached 40%. Compared with primary aluminum, each ton of recycled aluminum can reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by more than 90%, effectively promoting the green development of the industry.
The position of stainless steel in the high-end manufacturing field is becoming increasingly stable. Medical-grade 316L stainless steel, with its excellent biocompatibility and corrosion resistance, has been increasingly applied in artificial joints, medical device casings and other fields. Currently, over 80% of artificial joint components worldwide are made of this material. Food-grade stainless steel has shone brightly in smart kitchen equipment. The successful development of antibacterial stainless steel, with an antibacterial rate of 99.9%, has increased its market share in the infant and toddler tableware market to 65%, making it highly favored by consumers. In the field of new energy, significant progress has been made in the application of stainless steel in hydrogen energy storage and transportation equipment. A certain enterprise has developed ultra-low temperature stainless steel materials that can withstand extreme environments of -253 ℃ and have excellent resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, providing key material support for the industrialization of hydrogen energy. Currently, they have been applied in multiple domestic hydrogen energy demonstration projects.
Prepainted Steel, with its dual advantages of "appearance level + performance", has become a new benchmark in the architectural decoration and home appliance industries. The introduction of personalized coatings such as stone imitation and wood grain imitation, with high color saturation and realistic textures, has increased the application ratio of color-coated steel sheets in the exterior decoration of high-end residences to 20%, adding a unique artistic atmosphere to buildings. The application of self-healing coating technology, through the release and chemical reaction of the repair agent encapsulated in microcapsules at the scratch site, enables the color-coated steel sheet to self-repair after minor scratches occur during outdoor use, extending its service life to over 25 years, which is 50% longer than that of traditional products. In the field of smart home, the shells of refrigerators and washing machines made of antibacterial color-coated steel sheets have met consumers' pursuit of a healthy life. The annual growth rate of market demand has remained above 18%, among which the composite color-coated steel sheets with deodorizing functions have become the new favorite in the market.
From the perspective of industry competition, leading enterprises build their core competitiveness through industrial chain integration and technological research and development. Baosteel, ThyssenKrupp and other enterprises have increased their investment in high-end metal materials. Baosteel's annual R&D investment accounts for 5%, and it has established a full industrial chain system from raw material research and development to finished product application. The third-generation ultra-high strength steel for automobiles developed by it has achieved mass production. Emerging enterprises focus on niche markets and have formed differentiated advantages in areas such as special aluminum processing materials and high-end color-coated steel sheets. A certain enterprise specializing in high-end color-coated steel sheets has a market share of 40% in the decoration of domestic luxury stores. Meanwhile, the industry is confronted with the challenges of fluctuating raw material prices and environmental protection pressure. In 2024, the price of iron ore fluctuated by 30%, making it difficult for enterprises to control costs. The tightening of environmental protection policies has prompted enterprises to increase investment in environmental protection facilities. A large steel enterprise has invested 2 billion yuan in an environmental protection renovation project, achieving zero discharge of wastewater and waste gas. To this end, enterprises continuously enhance their risk resistance capabilities by establishing long-term supply chain cooperation and promoting circular economy models. For instance, they sign long-term supply agreements with mines to lock in raw material prices and build metal material recycling networks to improve the recycling rate of resources.
Looking ahead, with the rapid development of emerging industries such as new energy and intelligent manufacturing, the metal materials industry will embrace new growth opportunities. It is expected that by 2028, the global market size of high-end metal materials will exceed 500 billion US dollars. Various types of materials will continuously break through performance boundaries in technological innovation, play a more important role in green manufacturing, high-end equipment and other fields, and promote the global industrial system to move towards a more efficient, environmentally friendly and intelligent direction.
