The four major metallic materials are rejuvenating and making a strong push

1. Galvalume Steel: The demand in the fields of green buildings and new energy has soared
Recently, the application of aluminized zinc steel sheets in the global green building and new energy sectors has shown a significant growth. With the global emphasis on low-carbon building materials, aluminized zinc steel sheets have become the preferred material for roofs, walls and photovoltaic bracket systems due to their excellent corrosion resistance (with a coating life of over 20 years) and environmental friendliness.

Industry Trends:
Policy-driven: The draft of the "Green Development Plan for the Chromium Industry" issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology proposes that by 2027, the industry concentration will increase to 90%, and over 800,000 tons of backward production capacity will be eliminated. This policy indirectly promotes the optimization of the supply chain of upstream raw materials (such as chromium and zinc) for aluminized zinc steel sheets, reducing production costs.

Market application: The demand for aluminized zinc steel plates in the photovoltaic industry has soared. The purchase volume of high-purity chromium target materials for TOPCon cells has increased by 200% year-on-year. The inventory turnover rate of 4N-grade chromium powder has been compressed to 8 days, and the monthly consumption has exceeded 1,000 tons.

Technological breakthrough: The "recycling and regeneration" product certification of martensitic Stainless Steel launched by the Stainless Steel Branch of Jiugang has made the application of aluminized zinc steel plates in the field of green buildings more competitive.

2. Galvanized Steel: Recovery in infrastructure and automotive sectors drives demand
Galvanized steel, as a metal material with excellent anti-corrosion performance, has maintained a stable demand in the fields of infrastructure construction and automotive manufacturing. Recently, the recovery of global infrastructure investment and the revival of the automotive industry have injected new impetus into the galvanized steel market.

Industry Trends:
Infrastructure demand: In 2025, China's fixed asset investment in infrastructure is expected to increase by 1% year-on-year, driving up the usage of galvanized steel in areas such as Bridges and pipelines.

In the automotive industry, the production of new energy vehicles is expected to reach 13 million units by 2025. The demand for high-strength and high-performance automotive steel is expected to increase by 2.6% year-on-year, and the application proportion of galvanized steel in body structures is further rising.

Export growth: In 2024, China's steel export volume exceeded 110 million tons, increasing by 22.7% year-on-year. Galvanized steel, as one of the important export varieties, benefited from the recovery of international market demand.

3. Prepainted Steel: Personalized demands in the home appliance and construction sectors drive innovation
Color-coated steel sheets, by applying organic coatings on galvanized or aluminized zinc substrates, combine aesthetics with corrosion resistance and are widely used in home appliances, construction and packaging fields. Recently, the market has put forward higher requirements for the personalized demands and environmental protection performance of color-coated steel plates.

Industry Trends:
The home appliance industry: In 2025, driven by factors such as trade-in and export-driven growth, the production and sales volume of the home appliance industry are expected to continue to increase. The demand for color-coated steel plates, as the main material for home appliance casings, has increased by 8% year-on-year.

In the construction field, large venues and commercial complexes have put forward customized demands for the color, shape and quality of color-coated steel plates, which has driven enterprises to increase their investment in research and development.

Environmental protection upgrade: The industry is transforming from traditional solvent-based coatings to water-based coatings, reducing VOCs emissions and meeting green building standards.

4. Aluminum: Demand surges in the new energy and aerospace sectors
Aluminum, with its lightweight, high strength and corrosion resistance, holds an important position in the fields of new energy vehicles, aerospace and 3C electronic products. Recently, the aluminium market has been doubly affected by the explosive growth of the new energy industry and the reconfiguration of the global supply chain.

Industry Trends:
New energy vehicles: The global production of new energy vehicles is expected to exceed 20 million units by 2025, and the application proportion of aluminum materials in battery trays and body structures will further increase.

Aerospace: The mass production of COMAC's C919 large passenger aircraft is accelerating, with the aluminum consumption of a single aircraft exceeding 50 tons, driving the growth in demand for high-end aluminum materials.

Supply chain restructuring: Affected by the additional tariffs imposed by the United States on Aluminum Products from China, Chinese enterprises are accelerating their overseas expansion. Dongyangguang Company's net profit in the first quarter of 2025 increased by 156.17% to 227.05% year-on-year, thanks to the capacity release of its production bases in Thailand and Europe.

5.Market Trends and Challenges
Fluctuations in raw material prices: The prices of raw materials such as chromite and zinc ore are greatly influenced by the international market. Enterprises need to strengthen supply chain risk management.

Tightening of environmental protection policies: Global restrictions on carbon emissions and VOCs emissions are becoming stricter, prompting enterprises to increase their investment in environmental protection technologies.

Technological innovation competition: Technological innovation in the four major material fields (such as optimization of coating processes and upgrading of coating materials) has become the core of enterprise competition.

Conclusion:
Galvalume Steel, Galvanized Steel, Prepainted Steel and Aluminum, as the four pillars in the field of metallic materials, are responding to the challenges of global industrial chain reconstruction and green transformation through technological innovation and market expansion. In the future, with the continuous development of new energy, green buildings and high-end manufacturing, the market demand for the four major materials will be further released, and the industry pattern will undergo new changes.