On November 4, the signing ceremony for the “15th Five-Year Plan” prepared by Aosen Steel Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Aosen Steel”) and the launch event for the “Comprehensive Process Evolution Atlas of SWRH82B Steel” (hereinafter referred to as the “Atlas”) were successfully held.

The photo shows the conference venue.

Feng Chao, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Iron and Steel Association; Gao Junzhao, Counselor to the Hebei Provincial Government and former First-Level Inspector at the Provincial Development and Reform Commission; Song Xiangdang, Deputy Director of the Hebei Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology; Cao Yuebin, Chairman of Aosen Special Steel; Li Yongjun, Chief Analyst of the China Iron and Steel Association and Party Secretary and Director of the Research Center for Economic Development in the Metallurgical Industry; Dong Han, Wei Chang Scholar at Shanghai University and Director of the Shangshan Institute; and Ma Wenhuan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Metallurgical Industry Press, all attended the meeting and delivered speeches. The meeting was chaired by Wang Dayong, Vice Chairman of the Metallurgical Technology and Economics Branch of the China Society for Technological and Economic Studies, Honorary President of the Hebei Provincial Energy Conservation Association, Advisor to the China Metallurgical News, and Advisor to the Research Center for Economic Development in the Metallurgical Industry. Also in attendance were Lu Hengchang, Vice Director of the Shangshan Institute; Li Yan, Head of the Secretariat Division of the Residual Chemicals Management Office of the Hebei Provincial Development and Reform Commission; Zhang Xiaohui, Director of the Iron and Steel Industry Division of the Hebei Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology; Wang Zhe, General Manager of Aosen Special Steel; Chen Xiaoli, Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of the China Metallurgical News; and Shi Huieen, Member of the Party Committee and Director of the Development Research Division of the Research Center for Economic Development in the Metallurgical Industry.

Part 01

Keynote Speech: Acknowledge Achievements, Point Out the Direction

The photo shows Cao Yuebin.

In his speech, Cao Yuebin introduced that since launching its “High-Quality Development Plan” in 2022, Aosen Special Steel has been pursuing the goals of “high-quality products, green practices, and smart technologies,” driving upgrades in equipment, production lines, products, and downstream industries, thereby helping Hebei’s steel industry make a transformation toward “high-end, sophisticated, and specialized” development. He stated that the signing of the “15th Five-Year Plan” agreement with the Research Center for Economic Development of the Metallurgical Industry will enable a systematic analysis of the macroeconomic environment, industry trends, and the company’s core competitiveness, thus clearly defining a path for high-quality development. The release of the “Atlas” represents a significant achievement in the integration of “industry, academia, research, and application”—Aosen Special Steel has been deeply engaged in the production of premium special steels for over 20 years, and its flagship product SWRH82B boasts annual sales exceeding 1 million tons. This product has already been applied in major projects such as high-speed railways, bridges, and nuclear power plants. The book demystifies the “black box” of high-quality wire rod production and provides a model for closed-loop quality control in premium special steels.

In his speech, Feng Chao pointed out that Aosen Special Steel boasts distinctive product positioning and business philosophy, with profit margins consistently ranking among the highest in the industry. Its transformation from construction steel to industrial steel during the 14th Five-Year Plan period has laid a solid foundation for sustained high profitability, and its forward-looking approach is worthy of emulation by the entire industry. He emphasized that the steel industry has entered a phase of capacity reduction, and competition will become even fiercer during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Thus, it is of great significance to formulate plans at this juncture. At the same time, he offered Aosen Special Steel three recommendations: First, focus on green and low-carbon initiatives to build strong, differentiated product brands; second, enhance the digital capabilities of all employees and accelerate the enterprise’s digital and intelligent transformation; and third, reshape the industrial and value chains to strengthen core competitiveness. Speaking about the release of the “Atlas,” Feng Chao stated that innovation in the steel industry has now entered a stage of fundamental research and forward-looking strategic planning, and the publication of this book has laid a solid foundation for technological breakthroughs in the industry.

The photo shows Gao Junzhao.

Gao Junzhao suggested that Aosen Steel should thoroughly implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, and deeply pursue the “Four Transformations” (high-endization, intelligentization, greenization, and integration) in its development. He also recommended strengthening talent development, promoting low-carbon development throughout the entire lifecycle of steel products, and cultivating more promising diversified industries on the basis of developing its core business.

The photo shows Song Xiangdang.

Song Xiangdang stated that at the symposium on high-quality development of the steel industry in Hebei Province held on August 21 this year, it was clearly emphasized that enhancing the core competitiveness of products should be the primary focus, and concentrated efforts should be made to develop flagship products. This signing marks the start of a new round of product upgrades and management enhancements for Aosen Special Steel. The plan closely aligns with the development direction of Hebei’s steel industry, demonstrating the company’s strategic foresight. The release of the “Atlas” holds significant guiding value for improving the quality of special and high-quality steels, optimizing production processes, and developing flagship products. He suggested that Aosen Special Steel fully advance the implementation of the plan by focusing on three key areas: wholeheartedly developing flagship products, accelerating intelligent upgrades led by large-scale models, and setting a benchmark for green and low-carbon development.

The photo shows Wang Dayong chairing the meeting.

Part 02

Planning Interpretation: Anchoring on “Centennial Aosen” and Clarifying the Implementation Path

The photo shows Li Yongjun.

Li Yongjun provided a detailed interpretation of the core contents of Aosen Steel’s “15th Five-Year” Plan. He pointed out that approximately 30% of Aosen Steel’s downstream products—such as those in the metal products industry and specialized equipment manufacturing—are destined for export. Therefore, Aosen Steel must anchor its development goals in a global perspective, striving to become a “century-old Aosen, an innovative Aosen, and an exceptional Aosen.” By precisely analyzing the domestic and international flow of steel’s downstream products, Aosen Steel can clearly identify the direction for adjusting its demand structure, thereby using demand adjustments to guide corresponding changes in its product and production-line configurations. At the same time, by integrating green and intelligent transformations, Aosen Steel can further extend its steel product lines downward, fostering integrated development with downstream industries. He stated that the Research Center will fully support the planning process, ensure the plan is effectively implemented, and deliver the most satisfactory outcome.

Subsequently, the signing ceremony was officially held. Wang Zhe and Li Yongjun, representing their respective sides, signed the cooperation agreement for the preparation of Aosen Steel’s “15th Five-Year” plan.

The photo shows the signing ceremony venue.

Part 03

New Book Release: Filling an Industry Gap and Preserving Technological Achievements

Following the signing ceremony, the launch event for “Atlas” was held concurrently. Published by Metallurgical Industry Press, this book is the world’s first monograph focusing on the full-process microstructural evolution of SWRH82B steel.

The photo shows the scene of the new book launch event.

The photo shows Dong Han.

As one of the authors, Dong Han provided an in-depth analysis of the value of the “Atlas.” He explained that SWRH82B steel is a high-carbon steel with a carbon content of 0.82%, characterized by high strength, high toughness, and a high elastic limit. Its wire rod is primarily used to produce high-strength prestressed steel wires and strands. Aosen Special Steel boasts a comprehensive industrial chain advantage, covering everything from wire rod production to strand fabrication and performance testing, and has accumulated extensive experience over the years. Relying on the company’s practical experience, the “Atlas” systematically presents the organizational evolution patterns throughout the entire process—from continuous casting billets to hot-rolled wire rod, then to steel wires and finally to steel strands—providing crucial insights for the development and quality control of premium special steel wire products.

The photo shows Ma Wenhuan.

Ma Wenhuan shared the publication background of the book, noting that it combines Ausent Steel’s practical experience with the research capabilities of Shanghai University to innovatively study the evolution of microstructures, non-metallic inclusions, and mechanical properties throughout the entire production process, thereby creating a comprehensive knowledge graph. This work not only fills the gap in published literature on full-process microstructure control for SWRH82B steel but also provides a replicable paradigm for the iterative development of high-quality special steels and closed-loop quality control through precise mapping of “composition—process—microstructure—performance.” It offers enterprises a “practical” roadmap for making breakthroughs in the special steel sector.

At the end of the press conference, a book-giving ceremony was held, during which Dong Han, Ma Wenhuan, and others presented books to the attending delegates, thereby promoting the inheritance and dissemination of technological achievements.

The photo shows the book-giving ceremony.

Image and text source: China Metallurgical News