Hoa Phat Witnesses Steel Production & Sales Fluctuations
In the month of May 2023, Hoa Phat Group, a prominent player in the Vietnamese steel industry, experienced a 27% reduction in crude steel production, amounting to 565,000 metric tons compared to the same period last year. Notably, sales of construction steel, hot rolled coil, and steel billet stood at 530,000 metric tons, reflecting a 20% decrease from May 2022 but a commendable 16% increase compared to April.
Construction steel constituted a significant portion of Hoa Phat's sales in May, reaching 284,000 metric tons. Although this figure marked a 27% decline compared to the corresponding period last year, it demonstrated a promising 33% surge from April 2023. Moreover, the production of hot rolled coil, with 243,000 metric tons, attained its highest volume since the beginning of the year, showcasing a notable 19% increase year-on-year.
Hoa Phat also witnessed growth in downstream products derived from hot rolled coil, such as steel pipes and galvanized steel sheets. Steel pipes recorded a remarkable increase of 12%, amounting to over 57,000 metric tons, while the supply of galvanized steel sheets to both domestic and foreign markets doubled, reaching 34,000 metric tons in May 2023 compared to the same period last year.
During the first five months of the year, Hoa Phat Group's production of crude steel amounted to 2.34 million metric tons, reflecting a substantial 36% decrease year-on-year. Sales of steel products followed a similar trend, with a total of 2.36 million metric tons sold, signifying a 31% decline compared to the same period last year. Among the product categories, construction steel experienced a 33% year-on-year decrease, with sales amounting to 1.36 metric million tons, while hot rolled coil recorded 965,000 tons, indicating a 21% decrease.
With a crude steel capacity of 8.5 million metric tons, Hoa Phat Group holds the largest production capability in Vietnam. The company has also emerged as the first Vietnamese steel company to manufacture hot rolled coil.