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Rebar prices have climbed to 3,700 yuan, and this week the steel index (Myspic) has continued its upward trend.

Rebar prices have climbed to 3,700 yuan, and this week the steel index (Myspic) has continued its upward trend.

This week, the Myspic Composite Index stood at 143.91 points, up 0.53% from the previous week. Among them, the long products index reached 159.84 points, an increase of 0.68% compared with the prior week. Steel prices for construction applications edged higher this week, with the national average price of HRB400 rebar (20 mm) across 25 major markets at RMB 3,860 per ton, up RMB 38 per ton from last week. The flat‑steel index this week was 128.67 points, up 0.36% from the previous week. Specifically, the hot‑rolled coil price index rose 0.37%, while the medium‑ and thick‑plate price index fell 0.10%. Nationwide, hot‑rolled coil prices saw a modest uptick, with the average price across 24 major markets standing at RMB 3,935 per ton for 4.75 mm thickness, up RMB 5 per ton from last week. Meanwhile, medium‑ and thick‑plate prices declined slightly, with the average price for 20 mm plain medium‑thick plate across 24 key markets at RMB 3,965 per ton, down RMB 5 per ton from the previous week.

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During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, nonferrous metal enterprises will seize the momentum to embark on a new journey of high-quality development.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, nonferrous metal enterprises will seize the momentum to embark on a new journey of high-quality development.

The nonferrous metals industry has achieved remarkable accomplishments. Over the past 70 years, China’s nonferrous metals industry has advanced with determination and resilience, establishing a comprehensive industrial system characterized by complete product categories, a well‑integrated structure, enormous production capacity, and an optimized industrial mix. Emerging from a state of backwardness, it has grown into the world’s leading nation in the production, consumption, and trade of nonferrous metals, making significant contributions to China’s economic and social development as well as to the global advancement of the nonferrous metals sector.

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Copper prices have been steadily rising—so who will rescue insulation wire manufacturers that are losing money on sales?

Copper prices have been steadily rising—so who will rescue insulation wire manufacturers that are losing money on sales?

[BIT News Summary] Since the beginning of this year, continuous increases in raw material prices have dealt a severe blow to the real manufacturing sector. Insulated wire manufacturers, in particular, are struggling under the weight of rising costs for materials such as plastic pellets and bare copper wire. In the magical year 2020, bare copper prices soared relentlessly, showing no sign of restraint—delivering a heavy blow to both end‑product manufacturers and upstream insulated wire producers alike. The surge in copper prices is impacting numerous power‑supply and home‑appliance companies that rely heavily on copper materials, wires, and power cords. Of course, other industries with substantial copper usage are also feeling the pinch. For large home‑appliance firms like Galanz, which generates tens of billions in annual revenue, and midsize players such as Xinbao and Aoma, each with revenues hovering around ten billion yuan, there remains some cushion against cost pressures. However, smaller SMEs face much tougher challenges. Zhongshan Letyu Electrical Appliances, a small-to-medium-sized home‑appliance exporter with roughly 100 million yuan in annual sales, finds itself caught between surging orders and skyrocketing costs. Among these, the relentless rise in bare copper prices since early this year has been particularly vexing for General Manager Li Mingyang. Speaking to the media, Li Mingyang noted that at the end of March and beginning of April this year, bare copper was priced at 39,000 yuan per ton, while by October 20 it had climbed to 51,700 yuan per ton—a staggering 32.56% increase over the quarter. Li Mingyang pointed out that his company’s net profit margin stands at only 4%, with some products even below that threshold; the added cost of currency fluctuations alone has already eroded their profits. Another industry insider remarked that, from a pricing standpoint, “export‑oriented refrigerators simply must raise prices—otherwise, profitability becomes impossible.” Although Letyu expects fan orders to grow by 50% in 2021 compared to 2020, soaring material costs, a strong yuan, rising labor expenses, and higher factory rents all point to potential losses next year, according to Li Mingyang. As an end‑user manufacturer, Xinbao Co., Ltd. has sought to mitigate cost pressures through capacity optimization and automation. Over the past two years, Xinbao has ramped up its investment in automation while annually introducing new products to customers, ensuring price stability and maintaining profitability. Similarly, Galanz is actively advancing smart manufacturing. This year, it launched construction of an Industry 4.0 base at its Shunde headquarters, and plans to boost production capacity at its refrigerator plant by 50% next year—primarily through increased automation and lean manufacturing practices—while also rolling out new product lines such as breakfast makers. In fact, when bare copper prices soar, insulated wire manufacturers bear the brunt of the impact, facing truly unbearable conditions. In response to such dramatic copper price hikes, Magnetic Components & Power recently interviewed multiple professionals in the insulated wire industry, confirming this reality. A sales representative from a three‑layer insulated wire producer in Shenzhen told reporters that copper wire cost just over 30,000 yuan per ton at the start of the year, but now prices have nearly doubled to around 60,000 yuan per ton. Insulated wire companies were caught off guard: no one anticipated such an unexpected spike in copper prices, leaving them unable to stockpile enough inventory ahead of time. With costs surging so rapidly, it is extremely difficult for any insulated wire manufacturer to absorb these increases in the short term. Even amid double-digit price hikes for bare copper wire, no insulated wire producer dares to raise current prices easily—this is the stark reality of the industry today. Faced with such intense competition, many industry insiders interviewed by reporters expressed deep helplessness, calling urgently for unified standards and concerted efforts across the sector to chart a path toward healthy development and collective resilience in the face of mounting cost pressures. They also hope for a cohesive organization or mechanism capable of guiding the insulated wire industry toward more harmonious growth. This article is an original piece by BIT News. Please cite the source at the beginning if you wish to reprint it.

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In-depth Research Report on the Global and Chinese Thermal Energy Storage (Materials) Industry, 2020

In-depth Research Report on the Global and Chinese Thermal Energy Storage (Materials) Industry, 2020

Molten salt is the most commonly used thermal energy storage medium, characterized by its high boiling point and substantial volumetric heat capacity. When energy is required, molten salt is pumped into a steam generator, which boils water to drive a turbine and generate electricity. Thermal energy storage materials represent a new class of substances capable of storing and releasing heat on demand. Heat‑storage devices made from these materials not only offer high energy density but also boast low cost, ease of transportation, and long storage durations, paving the way for an entirely new approach to capturing and storing solar energy. The latest materials comprise azobenzene and carbon nanotubes; in addition to inheriting the advantages of diruthenium fulvalene, they are inexpensive, thermally stable, and even surpass lithium‑ion batteries in energy density. According to the “2020 Global and China Thermal Energy Storage (Materials) Industry Deep Research Report” published by New Thought World Industry Research Center, the global thermal energy storage market is projected to grow from USD 194 million in 2020 to USD 405 million by 2025, at a compound annual growth rate of 15.9%. This expansion can be attributed to factors such as increasing demand for energy‑storage technologies driven by the growing number of concentrated solar power (CSP) projects and expanding applications in HVAC systems. By technology type, sensible heat storage constitutes the largest segment. Sensible heat storage relies on the specific heat capacity of the storage medium, which is kept in insulated tanks. Molten salts are the most widely used and commercially available storage media, with numerous industrial and commercial applications. Molybdate salts exhibit excellent thermal performance and have been employed in over 50% of operational thermal energy projects to date. Moreover, from an economic standpoint, sensible heat storage technologies are among the most cost‑effective options. When categorized by storage material, molten salts are expected to experience the fastest growth during the forecast period. Molten salt remains the most prevalent thermal energy storage medium, offering a high boiling point and significant volumetric heat capacity. Upon energy demand, molten salt is pumped into a steam generator, where it heats water to drive a turbine and produce electricity. The power generation sector is anticipated to be the largest contributor to market size throughout the forecast period. In concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, thermal energy storage helps mitigate the intermittency of solar energy and reduces the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) by extending operating hours. TES systems capture solar energy during daylight hours and store it for later use, enabling continuous plant output even under cloudy conditions. Consequently, solar‑thermal power plants can operate effectively during periods without direct sunlight, eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels. Energy storage not only addresses mismatches between supply and demand but also enhances system performance and reliability, playing a crucial role in energy conservation. By downstream user segment, the utility sector is expected to emerge as the largest contributor over the forecast period. Thermal energy storage systems have been integrated into power plants as viable demand‑side management solutions. These systems employ chilled water or ice‑water technologies to store thermal energy in tanks during off‑peak hours. By shifting customer electricity demand to non‑peak periods, they help meet peak load requirements with fewer generating units. Currently, many utilities offer time‑of‑use pricing, selling electricity at lower rates during off‑peak hours. In 2019, Europe held the largest share of the thermal energy storage market. CSP installed capacity in Europe is projected to increase from 2.3 GW in 2017 to 4 GW by 2030. As European countries strive to achieve carbon‑reduction targets—transitioning from coal‑fired power generation to renewable sources while simultaneously raising emissions standards—the development of dispatchable, stored‑energy CSP plants will receive further support. Key players in the global thermal energy storage market include Abengoa Solar (Spain), Burns & McDonnell (USA), BrightSource Energy (USA), Calmac (USA), and SolarReserve (USA), among others.

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Only technological innovation can save China’s copper-processing industry.

Only technological innovation can save China’s copper-processing industry.

In 2015, China’s copper-processing industry exhibited the following key characteristics: production capacity and output growth remained robust. That year, China’s copper‑product output reached 14.987 million tonnes, up 25.2% year on year—a rise 14.42 percentage points higher than the previous year. The provinces and regions with the strongest growth were Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Jiangxi, with Jiangxi surging to become the top producer of copper products. Analyzing the product‑consumption structure, recent data indicate that copper wire and cable for the power industry currently accounts for the largest share of copper‑processing applications, representing approximately 50% of total copper‑product consumption. Meanwhile, fixed‑asset investment remained poorly controlled. In 2015, I…

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Only technological innovation can save China’s copper-processing industry.

Only technological innovation can save China’s copper-processing industry.

In 2015, China’s copper-processing industry exhibited the following key characteristics: production capacity and output growth remained robust. That year, China’s copper‑product output reached 14.987 million tonnes, up 25.2% year on year—a rise 14.42 percentage points higher than the previous year. The provinces and regions with the strongest growth were Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Jiangxi, with Jiangxi surging to become the top producer of copper products. Analyzing the product‑consumption structure, recent data indicate that copper wire and cable for the power industry currently accounts for the largest share of copper‑processing applications, representing approximately 50% of total copper‑product consumption. Meanwhile, fixed‑asset investment remained poorly controlled. In 2015, I…

08

2020

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12

Only technological innovation can save China’s copper-processing industry.

Only technological innovation can save China’s copper-processing industry.

In 2015, China’s copper-processing industry exhibited the following key characteristics: production capacity and output growth remained robust. That year, China’s copper‑product output reached 14.987 million tonnes, up 25.2% year on year—a rise 14.42 percentage points higher than the previous year. The provinces and regions with the strongest growth were Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Jiangxi, with Jiangxi surging to become the top producer of copper products. Analyzing the product‑consumption structure, recent data indicate that copper wire and cable for the power industry currently accounts for the largest share of copper‑processing applications, representing approximately 50% of total copper‑product consumption. Meanwhile, fixed‑asset investment remained poorly controlled. In 2015, I…

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2020

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China’s new materials sector is exhibiting a development trend characterized by military–civilian integration.

China’s new materials sector is exhibiting a development trend characterized by military–civilian integration.

Advanced new materials for the defense industry are a critical foundational technology in the global military sector, essential to modern high‑performance weapons systems, and a key focus area for military‑civilian integration. High‑temperature alloys—key materials for aircraft engines—are primarily used in aircraft engines, gas turbines, single‑crystal high‑temperature alloy blades, and nuclear reactor equipment. In state‑of‑the‑art international aircraft engines, high‑temperature alloys account for approximately 40% to 60% of the total weight. Research indicates that 50% to 70% of the improvement in an aircraft engine’s thrust‑to‑weight ratio stems from advanced high‑temperature materials and their associated manufacturing technologies. It is projected that between 2015 and 2020, the market for high‑temperature alloys will approach RMB 70 billion. Composite…

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