In terms of steel varieties, steel plates predominate, accounting for over 60% of consumption. Regarding strength grades, Q235 and Q355 are the primary choices, collectively exceeding 80% of the total; meanwhile, the utilization rate of high-strength steel-specifically grades Q390 and above-is increasing year by year.
Among major application scenarios, structural steel for buildings accounts for 45% of the market, while bridges account for 35%. Within the building sector, Q390 constitutes 32% of the steel used, whereas in bridge construction, Q420 accounts for as much as 75%.
The demand for steel has shifted from a passive "use whatever is supplied" mentality to one driven by "engineering pain points." Specific requirements now include enhancing resilience against catastrophic events, improving durability and corrosion resistance, promoting the use of hot-rolled H-beams and hollow structural sections, and adopting low-carbon, high-performance steel materials. Steel-framed residential structures require maintenance-free and fire-resistant steels; regions with harsh climates demand weathering steels; marine engineering projects necessitate steels resistant to marine corrosion; and extreme environments call for steel materials with even higher performance capabilities.
To meet these demands, the steel and structural steel industries must collaborate to establish an integrated system for R&D, production, and supply that is fundamentally oriented toward specific engineering requirements.
