China Steel Giants Forge Ahead: 28m Ultra-Long Wind Power Steel & Vanadium High-Strength Threaded Rebar

In the industrial landscape of 2026, the steel industry is quietly undergoing a profound transformation – from tonnage to grade. Recently, a number of steel enterprises have made headlines with breakthrough achievements in new energy, rail transit, and high-end manufacturing. From ultra-long wind power plates in Southeast Asia to the “backbone” of China’s large domestic aircraft, these steel giants are using technological innovation to draw a clear trajectory for China’s manufacturing industry climbing toward the high end of the value chain.

New Heights in Going Global: 28‑m Giants and the “Skeleton” of the Belt and Road

Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (Shougang Jingtang) recently completed a highly challenging delivery – 28‑m ultra-long wind power steel plates successfully reached a customer in Southeast Asia. This delivery not only marks the first time that Shougang’s ultra-long heavy plates have entered the Southeast Asian market, but also represents a real‑world test of the entire logistics and production chain. The success of this order demonstrates that domestic high‑end steel for wind power applications is now fully capable of competing with European and American giants under complex global operating conditions, accumulating valuable field experience for undertaking even more complicated overseas new energy orders in the future.

Meanwhile, vanadium‑bearing high-strength threaded rebar from Chengde Xinxin Vanadium and Titanium Co., Ltd. (Chengde Vanadium and Titanium) has also embarked on its journey along the Belt and Road. Featuring ultra‑high dimensional accuracy and excellent seismic performance, this product will be used in key overseas national projects. In the construction of high‑rise buildings and cross‑sea bridges, rebar with stable yield‑to‑tensile ratio acts as an “immune system” for structures, effectively resisting high‑intensity seismic impacts and providing solid safety assurance for the overseas export of Chinese infrastructure.

Rail, Sky, and Rare Earth “Black Technology”

In the rail transit sector, Jiangsu Shagang Group Co., Ltd. (Shagang Group) has successfully obtained the “golden key” from the China Railway Test & Certification Center (CRCC). Its Q345NQR2 and Q450NQR1 weathering steel, with high strength and outstanding weather resistance, has joined the high‑end railway supply chain in China. This means that future train carriages will be clad in an “invisible armor” made by Shagang, achieving longer service lives under complex outdoor conditions and filling a critical gap in the matrix of domestic rail transit materials.

In the highly cutting‑edge fields of the low‑altitude economy and new energy vehicles, Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Union Co., Ltd. (Baotou Steel Union) rare earth non‑oriented electrical steel project has become a focal point. At the 5th Central Enterprise Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, the project turned heads with its unique “rare earth + electrical steel” formulation. Compared with conventional materials, electrical steel with added rare earth elements enables higher motor efficiency and lower temperature rise. Whether powering new energy vehicles to travel farther or enabling drones to fly longer, this material offers irreplaceable performance advantages. Some product grades have already passed testing by downstream customers, indicating broad industrialization prospects.

Breaking the “Bottleneck”: Yonggang Says Goodbye to “Sky‑High” Costs for Wind Power Bearings

For a wind turbine to stand steadily at sea for 20 years, the main shaft bearing – the “backbone” – is critical. In the past, the steel required to manufacture such bearings relied heavily on expensive electroslag remelting (ESR) processes, keeping costs extremely high. Jiangsu Yonggang Group Co., Ltd. (Yonggang Group), in collaboration with a leading bearing manufacturer, has successfully developed weathering steel for wind power main shaft bearings suitable for soft‑zone‑free medium‑frequency induction hardening, using Ni, Mo, and V microalloying technology.

This domestic first‑of‑its‑kind technology replaces the energy‑intensive ESR process with continuous casting, achieving purity levels comparable to ESR steel while reducing the comprehensive cost per ton by several thousand RMB. This breakthrough not only solves a “bottleneck” challenge but also gives domestic wind power bearings highly competitive pricing while maintaining high performance, contributing steel strength to the cost reduction and efficiency improvement of green energy.

From the deep sea to the open field, from ground‑level railways to low‑altitude aircraft, Chinese steel enterprises are breaking through barriers one after another through technological innovation – proving that steel is no longer just a cold raw material, but a core engine driving high‑end manufacturing toward high‑quality development.