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Iron & Steel Casting in China - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

IBISWorld IBISWorld Beijing, China Last Updated: May 2024 3591

Revenue

$120.3bn

2024

$125.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

736k

Businesses

5,890

Wages

$X.Xbn

Iron & Steel Casting in China industry analysis

By volume, China's annual casting output has been the highest in the world for the past 10 years. China produced 16.3 million tons of castings in 2002, equal to the United States' and Japan's combined output. In 2023, China's casting output is expected to total 54.1 million tons. Industry revenue was declined at an annualized 2.0% over the five years through 2023, to $120.3 billion. This trend includes anticipated decrease of 7.5% in the current year. Low labor costs in China have attracted increased investment from foreign casting enterprises, including those from the United States, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom. However, the technological content of casting made in Chinese foundries is far lower than those produced in the United States, which ranks second in the world in casting output. Defective goods currently make up about 20.0% of total output. Price fluctuations in raw materials, such as pig iron, coke and steel scrap, have also negatively affected the industry over the past five years, causing a reduction in profitability. Profit margins have recovered to 5.1% of industry revenue in 2023.The industry is forecast to continue growing over the next five years, spurred on by demand from downstream industries including the Automobile Manufacturing industry (IBISWorld industry report 3721). Industry revenue is projected to grow at an annualized 4.7% over the five years through 2028, to total $151.7 billion. As the operating environment becomes more difficult, enterprises will need to invest in advanced equipment and technology to increase efficiencies, add value to products and reduce defective goods.

Trends and Insights

  • Carbon neutrality helps the steel industry transition to low carbon. Steel enterprises will help meet the carbon emission target by fully implementing green and low-carbon engineering technologies and moderately reducing crude steel production.
  • Finished and semi-finished iron products accounted for the largest segment. Cast iron has many applications in construction, machine building and automobile manufacturing.
  • The eastern coastal area is the main foundry products manufacturing base. The development of automobile, machinery manufacturing and construction industry contributed to the industrial development.
  • Investment in large production facilities could deter competitors from entering the industry. The industry's minimum scale requirements require significant capital expenditure.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.0 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $120.3bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

The industry carries out supply-side reform

  • The industry's supply-side of operations underwent a structural reform and subsequently helped the industry achieve remarkable results.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Iron & Steel Casting in China
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The Iron and Steel Casting industry is projected to continue growing over the next five years

  • Industry revenue is forecast to grow at an annualized 4.7% over the five years through 2028, to total $202.8 billion.

Biggest companies in the Iron & Steel Casting in China

Company
Market Share (%)
2023
Revenue ($short_0)
2023

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Iron & Steel Casting in China industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Iron & Steel Casting in China
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Finished and semi-finished iron products, Finished and semi-finished steel products and Other casting products. Finished and semi-finished iron products is the largest segment of the Iron & Steel Casting in China.

Trends and Insights

Finished and semi-finished iron products accounted for the largest segment

  • Finished iron products refer to iron products that have completed all the processes, while semi-finished iron products have not completed the processes or half completed.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Firms in the Iron and Steel Casting industry cast iron or steel and manufacture steel or iron products. The manufacture of cast iron and steel products involves melting the metal to be used, pouring it into a mold, letting it cool and then knocking out the casting. Final cast products that are manufactured in this industry include pipes, valves, parts, components, hydraulic pressure units and pneumatic units.

What's included in this industry?

Finished and semi-finished iron productsFinished and semi-finished steel productsAlloy casting products

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CASTINGMASS PRODUCTIONBATCH PRODUCTION

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Carbon neutrality helps the steel industry transition to low carbon. Steel enterprises will help meet the carbon emission target by fully implementing green and low-carbon en...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Finished and semi-finished iron products accounted for the largest segment. Cast iron has many applications in construction, machine building and automobile manufacturing.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The eastern coastal area is the main foundry products manufacturing base. The development of automobile, machinery manufacturing and construction industry contributed to the ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Investment in large production facilities could deter competitors from entering the industry. The industry's minimum scale requirements require significant capital expenditur...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The technology is constantly updated. Policy support industry technology development, put into production to establish high-end and advanced production line equipment.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024

Detailed analysis

    External Environment

    Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

    Analyst insights

    Growing demand in manufacturing. Many manufacturers in the machinery, automotive and construction industries are seeing strong demand for cast iron and steel products.

    In this chapter

    • External Drivers
    • Regulation & Policy
    • Assistance

    Key metrics

    • Regulation & policy level and trend
    • Assistance level and trend

    Charts

    • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
    • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

    Detailed analysis

    • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
    • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
    • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

    Financial Benchmarks

    View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

    Analyst insights

    Profit margins are relatively low. Profit margins in the steel foundry industry are relatively low due to intense competition and relatively low barriers to entry.

    In this chapter

    • Cost Structure
    • Financial Ratios
    • Key Ratios

    Key metrics

    • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
    • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
    • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
    • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

    Charts

    • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Investment vs. share of economy

    Data tables

    • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Average Wage (2014-2029)
    • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
    • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

    Detailed analysis

    • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

    Key Statistics

    Industry Data

    Data Tables

    Including values and annual change:

    • Revenue (2014-2029)
    • IVA (2014-2029)
    • Establishments (2014-2029)
    • Enterprises (2014-2029)
    • Employment (2014-2029)
    • Exports (2014-2029)
    • Imports (2014-2029)
    • Wages (2014-2029)

    Top Questions Answered

    Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

    What is the market size of the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China in 2024?

    The market size of the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China is $120.3bn in 2024.

    How many businesses are there in the Iron & Steel Casting in China industry in 2024?

    There are 5,890 businesses in the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

    Has the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China grown or declined over the past 5 years?

    The market size of the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China has been declining at a CAGR of 2.0 % between 2019 and 2024.

    What is the forecast growth of the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China over the next 5 years?

    Over the next five years, the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China is expected to grow.

    What does the Iron & Steel Casting in China include?

    Finished and semi-finished iron products and Finished and semi-finished steel products are part of the Iron & Steel Casting industry.

    How competitive is the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China?

    The level of competition is high and increasing in the Iron & Steel Casting industry in China.

    Related Industries

    Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

    Competitors

    • There are no industries to display.

    Complementors

    • Iron Ore Mining in China
    • Iron and Steel Smelting in China
    • Bearing Manufacturing in China

    International industries

    • Metal Pipe & Tube Manufacturing in the US
    • Ferrous Metal Foundry Products in the US
    • Metal Stamping & Forging in the US
    • Metal Pipe & Tube Manufacturing in Canada
    • Ferrous Metal Foundry Products in Canada

    View all industries in China

    Methodology

    How are IBISWorld reports created?

    IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

    Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

    IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

    What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

    Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

    Key data sources in China include:

    • National Bureau of Statistics China
    • General Administration of Customs
    • People’s Bank of China

    Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

    These sources include:

    • Industry and trade associations
    • Industry federations or regulators
    • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

    Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

    How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

    IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

    IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

    Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.