Tel :
Tel :
The rebar industry is plagued by problems, with manufacturers bewildered by the lack of a new Thai Industrial Standard (TIS). 35A250 Non oriented magnetic steel, Eleven factories using induction furnaces (IF) and lacking steel refining processes have been approved to operate, leading to substandard steel entering the market. Manufacturers are urging the government to urgently develop preventative measures to avoid a recurrence. The Thai Industrial Standards Association (TISI) stated it is listening to feedback from all parties.
The chairman of the steel industry group at the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) stated that the production and use of rebar in Thailand remains a long-standing problem. Data shows that production will fall to only 3.1 million tons in 2024, with 1.6 million tons (51.6%) produced by induction furnaces (IF), 1.2 million tons (38.7%) by electric arc furnaces (EAF), and another 300,000 tons produced from imported billets, indicating a worrying overall situation.
By 2025, the situation began to improve, with production increasing to 3.35 million tons. Of this, 1.13 million tons (33.7%) came from IF furnaces, and 1.57 million tons (46.8%) from EAF furnaces. Imported billets increased to 650,000 tons for rebar rolling, replacing plants that had closed due to substandard steel performance and environmental management. 35A250 Non oriented magnetic steel, Although several government agencies recognized the difference between T-standard and non-T-standard steel and placed greater emphasis on rebar quality, the problems remained unresolved, and long-term policies to protect the domestic steel industry were not sustainably implemented.
Previously, Thai rebar industry standards stipulated that the manufacturing process could only use EAF (electric arc furnace). This prevented defects and errors from the early stages of production because blowing oxygen into the molten steel significantly reduced phosphorus levels. The casting process separated impurities, and the refining process had established methods involving the use of oxygen within the furnace.
However, after revisions at the end of 2016, it opened up the possibility of any process, provided both buyer and seller agreed. This change added requirements for regulating other processes. While not explicitly mandatory, it stipulated that scrap steel must be properly sorted, molten steel quality must be inspected at each stage, and molten steel must be purified.
Furthermore, it opposes allowing the production of rebar without purification processes. The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) urgently needs to revise and tighten the rebar standard to prevent structural safety hazards and leverage the low-carbon emission advantages of Thai electric arc furnace (EAF) production, which aligns with Europe's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to be taxed in 2026. 35A250 Non oriented magnetic steel, The government also hopes to strengthen anti-dumping (AD) and anti-subsidy (AC) measures to ensure fair competition.
The Secretary General of TISI revealed that TISI is not complacent and understands the problems facing the domestic steel industry, including dumping, price competition, and safety standards. TISI is currently accelerating the development of a new TISI rebar standard to protect the steel industry and consumers as comprehensively as possible. This process requires input from all relevant agencies to ensure comprehensive coverage.
