Mr Hu Mingyang, adviser of the Special Steel Enterprises Association, said on March 25th 2012 at a molybdenum conference that China's stainless steel production capacity would reach 26 million tonnes per year by 2015, supporting the development of alloying metals.
However, China's actual stainless steel output by 2015 might be at 16 million tonnes, rising by 27% YoY from 2011. In addition, the country's apparent stainless consumption growth rate is expected to slow down to 23.7% in the next five years from 58% growth rate during 2006 through 2010.
Mr Hu pointed out that as a result, the Chinese stainless steel industry will pay more attention to improve quality from the expansion in volume, aiming to enhance the ferritic stainless steel output to 50% by 2015 from the current 25%