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Currently, the European steel industry is confronted with a number of significant challenges and obstacles. The regional economy is also influenced by these factors, in addition to the profits of businesses. In the article below, with MRS Steel, we will learn about the difficulties and challenges that the European steel industry is experiencing as well as measures to help Europe overcome this situation.EU steel industry faces a massive import steel situationDifficulties facing the European steel industryThe European steel industry is currently facing a series of major challenges, mainly from external factors. One of the key factors is fierce competition from major steel-producing countries like China, as the country ramps up exports to clear its inventory. The domestic steel industry in this region suffers from the importation of numerous steel products into the European market.In addition, the region's energy prices have increased as a result of Russia's gas cutoff to Europe, and the unstable supply has made it challenging to maintain production. Insufficient energy costs have necessitated the closure of numerous factories in Europe. Furthermore, steel manufacturers are being compelled to invest in new technology as a result of the European Union's stringent environmental policies, which are designed to reduce carbon emissions.These challenges require the European steel industry to find innovative and adaptive solutions to maintain sustainable growth in the future.EU energy prices rise as Russia cuts supplyThe European steel industry faces significant difficulties and challengesThe European steel industry's challenges have a significant impact on the regional and global economies, in addition to the direct effects they have on businesses within the industry.Reduced profits and competitiveness: Large imported steel output causes domestic business to decline. These factors reduce competitiveness compared to imported steel products.Impact on the labor market: Job losses in the steel industry due to production contraction affect the regional economy.Reduce production capacity: Many steel mills in Europe have had to reduce production capacity or close down because they cannot maintain profitable operations.Europe is trying to reduce electricity demand by cutting production or even closing factoriesSolutions to help Europe overcome difficulties and challengesIn order to help the European steel industry overcome obstacles and challenges, it is necessary to implement comprehensive strategies and solutions. The European steel industry may be able to surmount this crisis by implementing the following strategies:Investing in manufacturing technology: Promote the implementation of carbon-neutral steelmaking technologies, including electric arc furnaces. Invest more in green manufacturing processes and renewable energy to mitigate long-term expenses.Interest rate reduction: Faced with difficulties, the European Central Bank (ECB) has cut interest rates to stimulate economic activity. However, many experts argue that additional reductions are necessary to support businesses.Cost optimization: Manufacturers need to optimize production and operating costs to compete with cheap imported steel sources.Use of trade protection measures: We should use trade protection measures to safeguard regional industries and guarantee fair competition in the market. However, these measures could cause trade tensions between China and European countries.These solutions not only assist the European steel industry in overcoming its current challenges, but also establish a strong foundation for future growth.The article on MRS Steel has furnished you with information regarding the challenges that the European steel industry is currently encountering, as well as strategies that can assist the region in overcoming this crisis. It is my sincere hope that the aforementioned article has been of assistance to you. Follow MRS Steel to receive timely updates regarding the steel market!

Türkiye is the 8th largest steel producer in the world and has surpassed Germany, leading in steel production in Europe. However, in the past two years, its steel production and exports output has continuously decreased due to global economic difficulties. However, Turkish steel companies continue to boost production capacity, promising an explosive growth in 2024.1. Türkiye's steel production situationAlthough Türkiye still maintains the 8th position in the ranking of the world's largest steel producers, 2023 marked the second consecutive year of decline in the steel industry. According to WorldSteel, Türkiye produced 33.7 million tons of steel (down 4% y/y) in 2023 and 35.1 million tons in 2022 (-12.9% y/y). The decline in steel production from 2022 to 2023 was due to macroeconomic instability and high inflation. The Turkish lira depreciated around 60% against the dollar in 2023 restricted steel imports and domestic steel consumption.Currently, most of the Turkish steel industry produces through electric arc furnace technology. In 2022, 71.5% of the domestic steel was produced from these furnaces, so the increase in electricity prices was also a factor that seriously affected the steel industry. According to the Confederation of Turkish Steelmakers (CIB), the sharp increase in electricity prices accounted for 27% of production costs compared to 8% in 2021.Other factors affecting steel production and consumption in Türkiye include the increase in VAT from 18% to 20%, leading to higher steel coil prices. The earthquake in February 2023 also negatively impacted the steel industry when 1/3 of factories were forced to suspend production.In 2023, coil steel consumption reached 38.1 million tons, an increase of 17.1% compared to 2022, leading to a 15.5% increase in steel imports compared to the same period in 2023  (According to the Turkish Steel Manufacturers Association (TCUD). 2. Türkiye's steel import and export situationTürkiye's steel exports in 2023 continued to decrease to 10.5 million tons, -30.6% y/y. Export revenue reached 8.3 billion USD, down 40.7% y/y. In 2022, steel exports only reached 15.1 million tons, down 23.5% over the same period last year.During January - November 2023 period, the EU imported an average of 199,000 tons of steel from Turkey per month. In 2022, Türkiye's imports of rolled steel products into Europe reached 4.33 million tons, accounting for 15% of the market share. Steel exports from Türkiye declined due to the following factors: High electricity prices in Türkiye reduce price competitiveness compared to other supply sources.The EU and US strengthen trade defense measures to protect domestic manufacturers against dumping. The US imposed a 25% tariff on Turkish steel products. Opportunities to export steel to the EU are limited by the quota system. In addition, the EU also applied anti-dumping duties on hot-rolled steel sheets imported from Türkiye.China increased exports of cheap steel due to a steel surplus. Russian suppliers offer low prices to attract importers. This negatively impacts prices and export opportunities of other countries.Thus, steel exports from Türkiye to the EU are decreasing. Manufacturers are losing price competition in the EU market. At the same time, Türkiye faces massive imports, forcing the government to take measures to protect the domestic market.In 2022, Türkiye imposed tariffs on hot rolled imports from the EU. In May 2023, import duties on some flat rolled products increased by an average of 7%, specifically hot rolled steel coils from 9% to 15%, cold rolled steel coils from 10% to 17%, steel coils from 9% to 15% and hot rolling alloy from 6% to 14%.Entering 2024, the trend of increasing trade protection is still going strong. In January, tariff rates on some flat-rolled products increased and continued to maintain tariff rates on imported rolled steel. In the near future, the government will also review anti-dumping measures on hot-rolled steel coils from China, Japan, India and the Russian Federation along with stainless steel pipes from China and Taiwan.3. Turkish steel industry outlook 2024Experts predict that the Turkish steel market will have many bright spots thanks to growing global steel demand. The World Steel Association forecasts that steel consumption in Türkiye will reach 40.6 million tons, an increase of 5% by 2024.According to the Turkish Steel Association (TCUD), steel output in January 2024 reached 3.2 million tons, up 24.7% over the same period and flat steel consumption increased by 33.6% over the same period. The figures for February are even more positive.Manufacturers Kardemir, Yıldız, Colakoglu Metalurji, Hasçelik have planned to invest millions of dollars to increase production capacity in 2024.Türkiye has a large and growing domestic market, so the future of the steel industry will be based on meeting domestic demand. In addition, Türkiye has deployed steel production technology from CBAM scrap, providing advantages for exporting to the EU market.

Roll forming is a metal forming process in the chain of steel production steps. A rolling system is understood as a complex operating process with the participation of a series of rollers to move continuously. Accordingly, the steel plate will be placed on the forming line, and the steel will be gradually shaped after a series of bending operations on the roller.Some standard outputs from the roll forming processThe roll forming line can bend steel, shape steel into tubes, shape steel to specific former, and punch steel holes. After creating the shape, the steel will be cleaned again, at which point the manufacturer can cut and divide them to the desired length.Roll forming into steel pipeThe initial position of the roller will slightly change the shape of the steel, as the steel is brought to the end of the roller, it will become more and more deformed. In the example illustrating the process of transforming a steel plate to a tubular shape, the distance between the two rollers will initially be similar to the width of the steel, but at the end of the line, the distance between the two rollers will be shortened.However, the operator needs to be careful about the number of rollers because the number of rollers will affect the bending of the steel, so they need to add more space to increase the length of the production line. Another detail that needs attention is the speed of the chain, when the chain bends the steel too quickly, it will accidentally damage the steel because of exceeding the tensile limit in a short period of time.Roll forming steel into a specific shapeOn the forming line, there will be rollers distributed both on the top and bottom of the line, each roller will have a specific shape that the manufacturer has set up in advance, and when the product passes through the roller will have to get a particular force that is large enough to change the original shape, but not to damage the steel.So when the steel plate is forced through the roller at each winding station, the surface and shape of the steel will slowly deform until the end of the forming line. In addition, to reduce the friction between the steel plate and the roller, the operator will apply a layer of oil on both the upper and lower rollers to limit the abrasion and support the line speed to be more smooth and faster.Process of punching, embossing steelIn addition to deforming the steel's shape, it also forms the steel by punching holes and printing patterns on the steel. Depending on the distribution of the roller, the operator can manually adjust the position accordingly.The advantages of the roll forming process to the manufacturerCurrently, the roll forming process is widely applied in many different industries as well as popularly used in product manufacture because it brings many benefits that can be mentioned such as:Cost saving: roll forming clearly shows its diversity when it can be applied to any form of metal, not only steel. When running the process, a series of rollers will operate continuously, allowing operators to mass-produce similar products on a large scale.Environmental protection: roll forming is considered an environmentally friendly process when the input steel has been finished before, thereby, the process will become simple and effortless because the operators don't need to dispose of waste like other methods.Flexibility: this method allows the operator to change and control the shape of the steel with a certain deformation by simply adding or subtracting the number of rollers.Creating consensus over the small margin of error: the essence of the roll forming process is to use a consistent force throughout from the beginning to the end. The process output thus reaches perfect curvature with a minimal error margin.  

Once the country with the smallest economy in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has now merged as one of the world's fastest growing markets. According to statistics by WorldSteel, Vietnam is in the top 13 countries with the largest steel production in the world with 23 million tons of crude steel shipped in 2021. Besides, the Vietnamese government also promotes many preferential policies to increase export boost. Therefore, importing steel from Vietnam is a good choice for businesses that are in need of a reputable and cost-optimized supply of steel. In this article, MRS Steel will help you answer the question “how to import steel from Vietnam”.1. How to find steel importers from VietnamVietnam's steel products have been exported to more than 30 countries and territories around the world. This helps Vietnam's steel industry join the group of steel exporting countries with a turnover of more than 10 billion USD. Notably, Vietnam has 2 representatives of the top 100 largest steel enterprises in the world, Hoa Phat Group and Formosa Ha Tinh are ranked 59th and 61st respectively.  If importers want to import steel from Vietnam, MRS Steel can introduce other famous domestic steel manufacturers and suppliers, capable of meeting all requirements on quality and price best for you.2. Steel import duty rate from VietnamOne of the important steps to import steel from Vietnam is to check the duty rate of each product. Below are the duty rates for steel imported from Vietnam to the EU and US markets. Currently, Vietnam has signed FTAs with more than 50 countries around the world, so foreign businesses can enjoy preferential duty policies when importing Vietnam steel.To the EUThe tariff on steel in Vietnam is very low, accordingly, the export duty rate for semi-finished steel billet is 0%. However, some steel products imported into the European Union have to pay additional anti-dumping duties. Currently, businesses can access the TARIC system to check HS codes, duty rates and anti-dumping duties. The TARIC system can provide useful information about export procedures, data on duty rates, tariffs or other relevant information.To the USSimilar to the EU market, US importers can look up information on duty rates and anti-dumping duties at the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (https://hts.usitc.gov). To find the duty rate for a specific steel product, importers need to search for the name or code of the product in the column “General”.3. Conditions for importing steel from VietnamCurrently, Vietnam is the 16th largest trading partner of the EU and the second in ASEAN. Vietnam is also China's sixth largest trading partner and second largest exporter to the US in the first half of 2020. Therefore, the Vietnamese government also creates many preferential policies for exports. In many cases, certificates of origin (C/O) can be issued as quickly as 1-2 days. All goods exported in Vietnam must comply with Vietnam's customs clearance regulations and check the quality, specifications, quantity and volume of goods.Vietnam's customs procedures are relatively complicated and can change according to the development direction of the government with little or no prior notice. To quickly update news, customs clearance regulations, processing time, import and export procedures, you can contact MRS Steel for advice and guidance on all complicated procedures. Below are some detailed requirements when importing steel from Vietnam to the EU and the US.To the EUAll construction steel products comply with regulation (EU) No 305/2011 on harmonized sales conditions. For example, this regulation applies to steel pipe products and steel structures. Importers are required to have CE marking, test report, CE certification, performance statement report.Some documents and customs procedures are as follows:Exporter's commercial invoicePacking listBill of lading (B/L, BOL) – For sea freightTo the USCurrently, the US does not have a uniform law on market requirements for imported goods. However, all products entering the US require a Country of Origin (COO) with the following documents:Commercial invoice (from the exporter);Packing list;Bill of Lading (B/L, BOL) – For sea freight;Entry Manifest (CBP Form 7533)4. Notes for steel imports from VietnamCurrently, on the market, there are many fraudulent export companies with the aim of appropriating the assets of inexperienced importers. Therefore, you need to ensure the reliability and reputation of the supplier before working and dealing with them. Here are important notes to help you avoid being scammed:Vendor verificationVietnam has many large exporting steel enterprises, but not all of them are reputable and of good quality. You need to check all information and capacity of the factory before deciding to trade. However, due to many reasons of language, geographical and information barriers, importers should use the services of sourcing companies, such as MRS Steel, to reduce risks. With a network of connections is the largest steel companies in Vietnam such as Hoa Phat Group, Ton Hoa Sen, Nam Kim, Ton Dong A,..., MRS Steel can meet all product and cost requirements as well as support for other arising problems.Quality control of goods in VietnamBefore your goods are successfully imported, it is important to control the quality, safe and correct transportation of steel. Once the goods have arrived in your country, changing and returning the order is complicated and laborious. Sourcing service companies can assist you 100% with these issues including updating, monitoring the whole process, checking and carefully shipping the goods to the customer.Above is the news about "How to import steel from Vietnam" by MRS Steel. Hopefully the above information has helped you better understand the process of importing steel from Vietnam and choose professional and reputable suppliers. For any questions and needs to source quality iron and steel in Vietnam, please contact MRS Steel via Whatsapp +84 76 911 2358