Indonesia’s steel industry growing strong

Indonesia’s steel consumption grew robustly by 22.4% y/y to 10.95mn metric tonnes in 2011 in line with the growth in domestic steel demand. As the country with the largest economy and highest population in ASEAN, its share of steel consumption reached 20.9% making it the top second steel consuming country in the region.

With about 300 domestic players, the steel industry of Indonesia employs more than 500,000 people and is capable of producing 5.5mn tonnes of total steel products annually including hot-rolled steel products (bars, wire rods and plates) and crude steel products (billet and slab). And more production is expected in the coming years.

Salient points 

• The significant increase in Indonesia’s steel consumption in 2011 was supported more by import, which was 32% higher than the 2007 level, and not from domestic production. 
• The country’s domestic steel production increased 4.5% y/y to 5.45mn tonnes in 2011. Bars and wire rods are the primary steel products and account for the largest annual production output of the industry. 
• The gross domestic product (GDP) of the Indonesian iron and basic steel industry increased 3.4% y/y to IDR 8.0tn in Q2/2012.

Much more in the Emerging Markets Direct report: Indonesia Steel Industry 1H12