SteelStructures'2023: High Business Activity
SteelStructures'2023, a forum for manufacturers of steel structures, steel products and their end-users, Metallurgy.Russia'2023 and Litmash.Russsia'2023, a complex of international industrial exhibitions were held on June 6–8, 2023 at Expocentre Fairgrounds, Moscow, Russia. The trade fairs bringing together more than 300 exhibitors and more than 8k trade visitors aroused a keen interest among industry professionals. Visitors noted high business activity, expositions of new solutions and a big number of exhibitors from China, Turkey and other countries.
Steel construction in Russia has received a new incentive for development. The Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation (Minstroy of Russia) fulfills a road map for extension of uses of steels not only in industrial, but also in civil construction for the period up to 2026. With production effectiveness, quality and speed of construction coming into the fore, Russian developers show a growing interest in construction with steel frames. As reported by Infoline Agency, steel frames will account for 5—7% of the total residential construction volume in 2026—2027, 20% by 2030. Minstroy of Russia and The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation (Minpromtorg of Russia) boost the program on extensive use of steels in construction. According to A. Saveliev, Head of Department of Development of Non-Ferrous Industry, Tube Industry and Steel Structures, Minpromtorg of Russia, authorities are interested in improving regulatory framework of steel structures use (stated at SteelStructures’2023).
The steel structures market will also be expanding by implementations of road, port and agricultural infrastructure building projects. According to forecasts made at the event, demand for steel structures in Russia will grow 10—20% y-o-y. Drastic changes in the steel construction market will result in an extensive promotion of steel structures from producer to end-user via project designers and developers. Therefore, SteelStructures’2023 exhibitors addressed proposals to all the links in the chain.
NLMK, MMK, Severstal-Metiz, Rechickij Metiznyj Zavod, Novinsky Steel Structures Plant PSK, Tula Metal Rolling Plant, Etalon Metal Structures Plant, Steel Construction, Group of Enterprises, D&POS, State Enterprise Konus, Profile Group of Firms, Tochinvest Zinc, A GRUPP Steel Structures, Kazan Steel Profiles, Zinker, ARS-PROM, Parallel, ZVK BERVEL, Korolevsky Pipe Works, Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant and many more industry leaders exhibited new types of products and construction industry solutions at SteelStructures’2023 platform.
According to Yu, Suzdaltsev, Marketing Director, Novinsky Steel Structures Plant PSK, full capacity utilization has been registered at many steel structure plants today. He believes steel structures demand is above all formed by stocking programs of the largest marketplaces and industrial construction for many industrial objects are commissioned in various industry segments as part of the total import substitution program. The demand pent-up since 2019 is being realized. Speaking about SteelStructures’2023 Yu, Suzdaltsev praised the event for a big number if trade visitors from many regions of Russia as well as Turkey, China and many other countries.
A.Obukhov, General Manager, A GRUPP Steel Structures, said that his company was implementing a number of large-scale infrastructure projects including building Ust-Lug port, steel products supplies to Moscow Oil Refinery Plant etc. Profile Group of Firms is also involved in infrastructure projects; the company specializes in manufacture of tubular sheet piles for hydraulic engineering. The products are mainly used in port infrastructure. Today the company is mainly focused on building a pier at Ust-Lug port. A. Kalinin, General Manager, Profile Group of Firms said the exhibition was a success for his stand had been visited by many potential customers interested in sheet pile solutions.
Along with the industrial and infrastructure segments, one of the biggest demands for steel structures today is formed by social projects: building of health care centers, training facilities, social and activity centers etc. “Use of steel structures ensures time and investments savings,” stated N. Romanov, General Manager, Romanov Design Bureau.
A.Lifanov, Director for Sales, Tula Metalworking Company, noted another trend: a consumer boon had been registered in the welded wire mesh and extruded decking segment as well. Key end-users of decking are nuclear power plants, oil and gas producers, warehouse complexes, agricultural and shipbuilding companies etc. Tula Metalworking Company has for the first time exhibited in SteelStructures to find its market niche. “We have seen a keen interest in our products, the exhibition has been a success and we have established good contacts to be used for establishing future cooperation. We have not expected so many potential customers interested in our products,” summed up S. Lifanov.
D&POS Group also pushed its racking equipment and logistics solutions based on welded wire mesh decking. According to A. Babenko, Head of Sales, Racking Equipment Dept., D&POS Group, the company’s solutions are used by such industry leaders as OZON, Samsung Electronics and Leroy Merlin.
M. Gontorenko, Head of Sales, Tochinvest Zinc, noted that road fences, masts and products for agricultural purposes were in high demand that day. “Our company has exhibited in the event many times. Here we find new customers, meet in person with those we have long known only by phone, achieve agreements and sign new contracts. The exhibition is one of the best tools for promoting our products,” said he.
Export Trade specializing in steel structures design, manufacture, hot-dip galvanizing and transportation has exhibited in the event for the first time. E. Sychev, General Manager, spoke highly of future prospects of the hot-dip galvanizing industry for it ensured the best corrosion-resistance of steel structures. A. Pechenkin, Head of Marketing, Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant, agrees with his colleague, “Russian producers plan on commissioning additional galvanizing baths for the existing ones are not enough to fulfill all the orders. Thus, a new production was launched on June 9 in Tatarstan, new facilities are planned to commission by the end of 2023 in the Irkutsk region etc. Owners of galvanizing and steel structures plants from Altay turned to Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant management with this issue during the exhibition. One of Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant potential customers plans on commissioning tube galvanizing facilities in autumn 2024. Thus, the industry is reviving and zinc domestic consumption will continue growing.”
An array of business activities was held in parallel with SteelStructures’2023, among them conferences on bridge building, fasteners, latest trends in the steel construction industry, steel structures welding and corrosion resistance solutions, a round table for galvanized and pre-coated rolled stock producers, events on developing regulatory-technical base, steel structures manufacture and set up etc. The events were endorsed by leading industrial scientific and research institutions and associations such as Minstroy of Russia, Minpromtorg of Russia, Steel Construction Development Association, Russian Union of Metal and Steel Suppliers, V.A. Kucherenko’s TSNIIKS, Melnikov’s TSNIIPSK, Zinc Development Center, Prommetiz Association etc. The success of the forum for steel structure manufacturers involves all the concerned parties’ coordinated activities on incitement of steel products consumption in construction.
The SteelStructures’2023 Organizing Committee summed up the results and awarded winners of Power of Metal contest medals for the best solutions to use of steel and aluminium in construction, exhibitors with the best expositions were awarded in the Best Exposition nomination, seven industrial, commercial and infrastructure building projects were announced winners and awarded medals and diplomas of SteelStructures’2023 International Exhibition: Melnikov’s TSNIIPSK, Romanov Design Bureau, Kazan Steel Profiles, Profile Group of Firms, Novinsky Steel Structures Plant PSK, ProfStalProkat and Evraz Steel Box.
The exhibition as a business platform provided industry professionals a good opportunity to exchange the best practices and ideas and hold meetings on the most pressing issues of the steel construction industry. All the exhibitors agreed on the need in developing future cooperation between producers and end-users.
Welcome to attend SteelStructures’2024, Metallurgy.Russia'2024 and Litmash.Russia'2024, June 4-6, 2024, Expocentre Fairgrounds, Moscow, Russia!