Deformed Steel Bars

– Please read Part 1 first –

There are two interesting trends that have begun to effect the production, distribution, sales and use of deformed reinforcing steel bars around the world today.  The first trend actually started some time ago … as early as the late 1970s and early 1980s.  At this juncture in time, many countries in the world that have been involved in production and even exportation of deformed reinforcing steel bars started to see their own steel industries start to contract.  These included such countries as the United States and several different nations that are now a part of the European Union.

The second trend actually started to pick up pace in at the turn of the turn of the 21st century.  It was at this time – and throughout the course of the past several years – that natural disasters (including earthquakes and tsunamis) illustrated how unsafe buildings constructed of concrete or masonry that were not reinforced with deformed reinforcing steel bars actually were in the face of these disasters.  Therefore, the demand for deformed reinforcing steel bars grew astronomically as more governments came face to face with the necessity of reinforcing concrete and masonry structures to protect their own citizens.

As demand increase the availability of deformed reinforcing steel bars from historic manufacturers of these materials had already started to decline.  Into this void stepped a number of Asian nations, primarily the People’s Republic of China.  It is now in this region of the world that a significant percentage of deformed reinforcing steel bars that is destined to be used in construction projects around the globe is being manufactured … US, Europe and Middle East are sourcing from Turkey.

With an ever increasing concern surrounding building safety, more attention is being paid to the manner in which buildings are being constructed.  For example, when it comes to concrete and masonry buildings or components, the utilization of deformed reinforcing steel bars is becoming a required practice in an ever increasing number of countries the world over.  As a consequence, a more significant demand is being placed on manufacturers of deformed reinforcing steel bars in certain countries around the world.

While demand for deformed reinforcing steel bars is developing in a variety of countries around the world, including nations that therefore had no legally required this type of reinforcement in concrete or masonry buildings, nations in North America and Europe remain significant importers of deformed reinforcing steel bars.  While historically these nations did have steel industries of their own that did produce deformed reinforcing steel bars on some level, this has changed rather significantly in more recent times.  European and North American countries have gone from being significant producers of deformed reinforcing steel bars themselves to relying on imports of these important items on a more regular and larger basis.

Understanding this shift from production to importation of deformed reinforcing steel bars, a number of countries have ended up being major producers and exporters of these construction products.  High on the list must be China.  Over the course of the past decade, China and Turkey have become far more involved in the production and the exportation of deformed reinforcing steel bars to a number of different countries around the world.  This trend through which a goodly share of deformed reinforcing steel bars will be produced in Turkey and shipped to be used in construction projects internationally is anticipated to continue space well into the future.

– Please read Part 2 –