The operating rates of galvanising producers this week were 61.21%, down 1.17 percentage points WoW. Raw material side, zinc prices pulled back to levels more acceptable to downstream this week. Downstream players stockpiled for the Labour Day holiday in a timely manner, and zinc ingot inventory at galvanising enterprises increased.

[Some Galvanizing Plants Started Holiday Early, Operating Rates Weakened]: The operating rates of galvanising producers this week were 61.21%, down 1.17 percentage points WoW. Raw material side, zinc prices pulled back to levels more acceptable to downstream this week. Downstream players stockpiled ahead of the Labour Day holiday in a timely manner, and zinc ingot inventory at galvanising enterprises increased.

Ahead of the Labour Day holiday, SMM surveyed galvanising enterprises on their holiday arrangements. This survey covered 27 galvanising enterprises with a total capacity of 20.10 million mt. According to SMM, some enterprises will take 1-13 days off during the Labour Day holiday, while others will maintain normal production without any break, with an estimated total impact on zinc consumption of approximately 5,785 mt.

As the Labour Day holiday approaches, SMM communicated with galvanized sheet enterprises regarding their holiday arrangements. The survey covered 20 galvanized sheet enterprises with a combined capacity of 17.06 million mt/year, affecting zinc consumption of 243 mt

[Stable Production Schedules at Galvanizing Plants, Operating Rates Edged Up Slightly]: The operating rates of galvanising producers stood at 62.38% this week, up 0.25 percentage points WoW. Raw material side, zinc prices fluctuated at highs throughout the week, with downstream buyers mainly restocking on rigid demand. There was no pre-holiday stockpiling sentiment for the time being, and zinc ingot inventory at galvanising enterprises declined slightly.

SMM, April 22: According to SMM, zinc slag payables have remained at elevated levels. What are the reasons behind this? How will they trend going forward?

【SMM Steel】Vietnam's Vingal received EIA approval for a capacity expansion at Bien Hoa II Industrial Park. Total capacity will rise from 40,000 t/y to 60,000 t/y to meet growing demand for galvanized steel in construction, power transmission, and transport infrastructure. Galvanizing capacity will sharply increase from 15,000 t/y to 45,000 t/y. Output for safety shields, transmission towers, and power poles will remain at 6,000 t/y, 6,000 t/y, and 3,000 t/y, respectively. The development uses nearly 4 hectares of land.

According to the latest customs data, galvanized sheet exports totaled 1.157 million mt in March 2026, up 30.13% MoM and up 7.48% YoY. Cumulative galvanized sheet exports from January to March reached 3.2512 million mt, down 4.02% YoY.

[Galvanizing Plant Operating Rates Rose]: The operating rates of galvanising producers stood at 62.13% this week, up 4.24 percentage points WoW. Raw material side, zinc prices fluctuated at highs throughout the week, with downstream players picking up fewer goods and mainly consuming existing stocks, leading to a decline in zinc ingot inventory at galvanising enterprises.

According to China News Service, on April 16, at the plant of Jiuquan Iron and Steel (Group) Co., Ltd. in Jiayuguan City, Gansu Province, automated equipment was producing a new generation of zinc-aluminum-magnesium products. It was reported that the group assembled a specialized team to tackle zinc-aluminum-magnesium technology. Against the backdrop of formidable external technical barriers and the absence of batch production track records in China, the team spent six years of intensive efforts to produce China's first coil of zinc-aluminum-magnesium products with proprietary intellectual property rights. At the end of 2025, JISCO's new generation of zinc-aluminum-magnesium products was unveiled. This product category represents the most technically challenging variety in the hot-dip galvanizing industry. JISCO is the only company in China to have achieved large-scale batch production, filling the technological gap in related fields in China. The products have been successfully applied in highly corrosive environments such as cooling towers, motor housings, energy storage, and offshore PV, and have been exported to multiple countries including Thailand, the Philippines, and Argentina.