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Recently, the field of color-coated galvanized steel sheet PPGI has shown a series of eye-catching dynamics, from significant changes in market data, to the continuous advancement of technological innovation, to the complex adjustment of international trade policies, all of which have profoundly affected the development trajectory of this industry.

According to market data, the global PPGI coil market size will climb to about US$15 billion in 2024, an increase of 8.3% year-on-year. This growth trend is mainly due to the accelerated advancement of infrastructure construction around the world. Many countries have increased their investment in projects such as roads and bridges; the gradual recovery of the real estate market has stimulated the demand for building materials; the manufacturing industry has moved towards high-end development, and the demand for high-quality steel is growing. The Asia-Pacific region is particularly prominent in this market pattern. With the rapid development of emerging economies such as China and India, the demand for PPGI coils in the region is extremely strong, accounting for more than 60% of the global market share.

In China, the PPGI industry has maintained a steady growth pace in recent years. In 2024, the total output of PPGI coils in China will reach 18.5 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 7.3%, and the market size will be about 126 billion yuan. In terms of production area distribution, East China occupies a dominant position with its complete industrial supporting facilities and developed logistics system, accounting for 45% of the output; South China follows closely with a share of 28%. In terms of industry concentration, the market share of the top five domestic manufacturers in 2024 will be 62%, of which Baosteel will lead with a market share of 21%. Looking forward to 2025, it is expected that the domestic PPGI coil market demand will further expand, and the total output is expected to exceed 20 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 8.1%. With the popularization of the concept of green building and the vigorous development of the new energy vehicle industry, the demand for high-performance PPGI coils will continue to rise. It is expected that the proportion of high-end products will increase to 35% in 2025, a significant increase from 30% in 2024.

Globally, the PPGI coil industry is also in an upward channel. In 2024, the global total output will be about 72 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 6.8%, and the market size will be close to 500 billion yuan. Asia is the largest production area, accounting for 65% of the output, while Europe and North America account for 18% and 12% respectively. In the international market, South Korea's Posco (POSCO) has performed well in technology research and development and market expansion, and has strong market competitiveness.

Technological innovation has always been the key force driving the PPGI industry forward. In 2024, companies in the industry generally increased their investment in research and development funds, and made every effort to develop products with higher corrosion resistance, stronger pressure resistance and more beautiful appearance. For example, a leading international steel manufacturer successfully introduced nano-coating technology, which not only significantly improved the durability of the product and greatly extended its service life in harsh environments, but also enhanced the environmental performance of the product, reduced pollutant emissions in the production process, and further consolidated its leading position in the market.

Intelligent manufacturing and digital transformation are also accelerating in the industry. Through big data analysis, companies can accurately understand changes in market demand and optimize product production plans; the application of automated production systems has greatly improved the accuracy of the production process, effectively controlled product quality, and reduced the defective rate. At the same time, automated production can also reduce labor costs, improve delivery efficiency, and enable companies to respond quickly to customer orders. These technological advances have comprehensively enhanced the comprehensive competitiveness of enterprises and injected a steady stream of vitality into the overall development of the industry.

However, the PPGI industry also faces many challenges in its development. Frequent changes in international trade policies have become a major obstacle to the development of the industry. On December 25, 2024, the Turkish Ministry of Trade, at the request of domestic manufacturers, initiated an anti-dumping investigation on cold-rolled steel sheets (except unannealed), galvanized steel sheets and color-coated sheets originating from China and South Korea. The dumping investigation period is set from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, and the damage investigation period is from January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024. This move undoubtedly brings great uncertainty to relevant export companies in China and South Korea, which may lead to a significant reduction in the market share of related products in Turkey and a heavy blow to the export business of enterprises.

On December 19, 2024, Thailand's National Bureau of Standards (TISI) announced that in 2025, galvanized color-coated and aluminum-zinc color-coated steel coils, steel sheets, and corrugated sheets will be subject to mandatory TISI certification, involving TIS 2131-2567 hot-dip galvanized color-coated steel coils, steel sheets, and corrugated sheets standards and TIS 2753-2567 hot-dip aluminum-zinc color-coated steel coils, steel sheets, and corrugated sheets standards. This means that relevant companies exporting to Thailand must promptly understand and strictly meet Thailand's certification standards, otherwise they will not be able to enter the Thai market, which undoubtedly increases the company's operating costs and market access difficulties.

On November 13, 2024, Indonesia's Ministry of Industry promulgated Regulations No. 67 and No. 68 of the Ministry of Industry in 2024, respectively requiring mandatory Indonesian SNI certification for galvanized color-coated, aluminum-zinc color-coated, and aluminum-magnesium color-coated, and upgrading the standards for galvanized and aluminum-zinc products. The regulation will take effect six months after the date of promulgation, that is, from May 13, 2025, the above-mentioned coated products will not be able to clear customs after arriving at the port without SNI certification. This poses new challenges to the supply chain management and cost control of enterprises involved in the Indonesian market.

Previously, Vietnam ruled on May 31, 2017 to impose a 19% safeguard duty on imported color-coated steel sheets (PPGI), which took effect on June 15 for a period of three years. The safeguard duty is for alloy or non-alloy color-coated steel sheets that exceed the prescribed import quota. This has seriously affected the export of color-coated steel sheets from China and other relevant countries to Vietnam, and the export volume has dropped sharply.

Despite the challenges, the PPGI industry is still full of opportunities in the future. With the continuous increase in investment in infrastructure construction by countries around the world, such as the U.S. Infrastructure Act, which plans to invest more than $1 trillion in roads, bridges and public transportation projects in the next five years, this will directly drive a substantial increase in the demand for PPGI coils in the construction field. At the same time, green buildings have become the mainstream trend in the global construction industry. Due to its excellent environmental performance and recyclability, the application ratio of PPGI coils in green buildings will be further expanded. In addition, the accelerated urbanization process in Africa, South America and other regions has also opened up a broad market space for the PPGI coil industry. Countries such as South Africa and Brazil are gradually becoming important consumer markets.

The color-coated galvanized steel plate PPGI industry is in a critical period of development, with broad market prospects but also thorns. Enterprises need to pay close attention to changes in the macroeconomic environment, adjustments to policies and regulations, and trends in technological development, formulate flexible and forward-looking development strategies, and actively respond to challenges such as international trade frictions, so as to seize opportunities in the fierce market competition and achieve sustainable development.