In the first half of the current year, Shandong Province-based Chinese steelmaker Qingdao Iron and Steel Group recorded a pig iron output of 1.4047 million mt, down 13.83 percent, a crude steel output of 1.3634 million mt, down 12.67 percent, and a finished steel output of 1.6763 million mt, down 10.24 percent, all on year-on-year basis, as reported by Chinese media sources.
Qingdao Steel carried out overhaul work at a number of its blast furnaces during the period in question amid the ongoing sluggishness of the steel industry, Starting from June 5, it commenced an 80-day overhaul of its blast furnace No. 6. Qingdao Steel managed to achieve a profit in the first six months, though many domestic steel producers posted losses for the period.