FOCUS: New Tangshan steel cuts threaten to damp China billet prices

Demand and prices for steel billet in China were likely to be affected by new restrictions on re-rolling activity in the major production hub of Tangshan, sources have told Fastmarkets.

Curbs on blast furnace-based sintering in Tangshan, together with solid demand for long steel products, has driven up billet consumption at some mills and re-rollers in the city this year. That has resulted in the purchase of large volumes in both the import and Chinese local markets.
In an effort to improve air quality, certain re-rolling mills have been told to restrict their pollution levels, beginning from last weekend and continuing until the end of April, Tangshan's environmental protection office said in a notice on April 17.
Rollers ranked 'A' for emission control can arrange emission restrictions by themselves, but others must cut them by at least 30%, according to the notice. A local industry information provider said that re-rollers in Fengrun, also in Tangshan, were asked to stop output entirely for the period April 22-30.

Heating ovens at Tangshan's re-rollers are fueled by either electricity or gas. Gas-powered...

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