Northern China’s Hebei Iron & Steel Group saw its finished steel exports surge by 75% in the first quarter of 2014 as it focused more on overseas markets amid sluggish domestic demand.

The debate over whether to use steel or aluminium in the automotive market is intensifying.

China’s largest steelmaker Hebei Iron & Steel expects its full-year results for 2013 to remain at low levels on account of the weak the steel market last year.

Hyundai Steel plans to start commercial production at its planned new 1-million-tpy speciality steel mill in February 2016.

Irvan Kamal Hakim, president director of Indonesia’s state-owned Krakatau Steel, has taken over as chairman of the Indonesian Iron & Steel Industry Assn (IISIA) for a four-year term till 2017.

India’s largest steel producer, JSW Steel, has reported a 37% increase in crude steel production to 2.98 million tonnes for the quarter that ended on September 30.

Essar Steel has launched specialised colour-coated steel products in the Indian state of Kerala made to withstand extreme weather conditions in the region.

Growth in Turkey’s steel industry ranks third in the world behind only China and India, according to Veysel Yayan, general secretary of the Turkish Iron and Steel Producers’ Assn (DCUD).

2012 was the Year of the Dragon, but even the Chinese powerhouse was not immune as the steel industry struggled in the face of freak weather events, the global economic crisis and falling prices...

Man of Steel is the nom de plume of an experienced steel trader, who will be writing a column for Metal Bulletin on a regular basis. Do you agree with him? Email editorial@metalbulletin.com Trading company ceos around the world are worried as they consider their activities and the outlook as they prepare their second-quarter (or second-half) results.