China Galaxy Securities released a research report stating that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has published the "Pilot Consortium List for High-Quality Industry Dataset Construction Empowered by Artificial Intelligence," highlighting the advantages of leading steel companies in digital and intelligent transformation. In the medium to long term, the profitability of the steel industry is expected to improve significantly, supported by strengthened supply-side policies aimed at curbing internal competition. The report suggests that leading enterprises are likely to benefit from improvements in industry supply and demand dynamics. Recommendations include focusing on: (1) leading sub-sector companies with continuously optimized product portfolios and stable, high dividend payouts; (2) companies with high technological barriers that mitigate internal competition, showing significant potential for earnings and valuation recovery; and (3) upstream resource suppliers expected to see improved supply conditions over the medium to long term. Key viewpoints from China Galaxy Securities are as follows:
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the pilot consortium list for high-quality industry dataset construction empowered by AI, with steel industry consortia included. On April 9, the Ministry announced the list, urging relevant supporting units to enhance support and guarantees for the pilot consortia and actively promote the achievement of pilot outcomes. Meanwhile, regions are encouraged to initiate localized industrial data foundation actions according to their specific conditions, promote the construction of high-quality industry datasets, and explore models and pathways for industrial data development and utilization. The list includes 14 consortia covering multiple industries such as steel, aluminum, automotive manufacturing, and coal machinery equipment. Among them, two innovation consortia from the steel industry were selected. Each consortium consists of a lead unit along with multiple related enterprises, research institutions, and universities. Through institutional design, key roles in the data value chain are mandatorily "bundled" together, forming consortia that share risks and benefits, thereby accelerating the large-scale, high-quality supply of industry data.
The 2026 National Ironmaking Production Technology Conference and Academic Annual Meeting was held, focusing on technological innovation empowering ironmaking. From April 9 to 10, the conference, themed "Technological Innovation Empowers Low-Carbon Intelligent Ironmaking and Leads the Future," was successfully held in Hefei, Anhui. Industry experts and scholars focused on cutting-edge low-carbon technologies such as hydrogen metallurgy, blast furnace ironmaking system technology, furnace hearth design optimization, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage. They presented the latest laboratory research and industrial trial results, providing in-depth analysis of technical principles, application scenarios, and promotion prospects, thereby offering theoretical support and technical reserves for the industry's low-carbon transition. The conference featured a special "AI + Ironmaking" session, concentrating on the deep integration of artificial intelligence and ironmaking production. Representatives from university research teams, corporate technical experts, intelligent equipment suppliers, and digital solution providers gathered to discuss core topics such as intelligent modeling of ironmaking processes, data-driven optimization of the entire production workflow, smart factory construction, and digital twin applications. Participants unanimously agreed that artificial intelligence is a crucial tool for enhancing the quality and efficiency of ironmaking, reducing costs and carbon emissions, and improving safety management. They emphasized the need for strengthened collaboration between industry, academia, research, and application to overcome key technological challenges in core algorithms, data governance, and system integration, accelerating the large-scale application of intelligent technologies across the entire ironmaking process and fostering a new digital ironmaking ecosystem.
Risk warnings include potential shortfalls in supply-side contraction, weaker-than-expected demand from downstream sectors such as real estate and infrastructure, uncertainties in raw material prices like iron ore and coal, and uncertainties in domestic and international policies.
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