‌The Rise of China's Pelletizing Technology and Global Supply Chain Restructuring

‌I. Industry Evolution: From Technology Import to Global Export‌

As a critical raw material for high-efficiency steelmaking, global demand for iron ore pellets grew from 420 million tons in 2020 to 480 million tons in 2023 (World Steel Association). China's share of global pellet production capacity surged from 18% in 2010 to 35% in 2023, driven by three technological breakthroughs:

1. ‌Localized Grate-Kiln Systems‌:
   Baosteel Zhanjiang’s 5-million-ton production line (operational in 2009) broke Metso’s monopoly, extending heat-resistant part lifespan from 6 to 18 months.

2. ‌Belt Calciner Innovation‌:
   Jiangsu Hongda’s 4.8m-wide belt calciner (2017) achieved 85% thermal efficiency, outperforming Outotec’s 82%.

3. ‌Intensive Mixer Dominance‌:
   Domestic intensive mixers captured 78% of China’s market in 2023, up from 32% in 2015 (China Metallurgical Equipment Association).

‌II. Core Technology Advancements & Intensive Mixer Synergy‌
‌(A) Comparison of Main Pelletizing Technologies (2023)‌

Note: Intensive mixers achieve >95% raw material homogeneity (vs. <80% for legacy equipment), directly boosting pellet compressive strength by 15-20%.

‌III. Key Pelletizing Equipment Manufacturers‌
Major global suppliers of complete pelletizing systems (grates, calciners, etc.):

• WISCO Hubei Huazhong Heavy Machinery (China)

• Northern Heavy Industries Group (China)

• Handan Dingzheng Heavy Machinery (China)

• Metso Outotec (Finland)

• KOBELCO (Japan)

• Chongqing Kuangdi Metallurgy Equipment (China)

• Eirich Group (Germany)

‌IV. Future Trends & Strategic Recommendations‌
‌Technology Roadmap:‌

• Develop 800-ton/hour mega-scale intensive mixers (2025 target)

• Pioneer hydrogen-based pellet mixing processes (trials launched by Ansteel/Baowu)

‌Market Outlook:‌

• Global pellet equipment market to hit $4.7B by 2025; Chinese firms eye 62% share (S&P Global)

• Africa & Southeast Asia to add 15M+ tons annual demand

‌Strategic Actions:‌

1. Integrate "mixer-calciner" turnkey solutions

2. Accelerate R&D on heat-resistant alloys (35% of high-grade steel still imported)