At this pivotal juncture where stainless steel technology transitions from the laboratory to industrialisation, enterprises across the sector are intensifying efforts in 2025 to implement technologies, optimise production capacity, and break into new markets. Leading enterprises such as TISCO, Qingshan, and Yongjin accelerated the conversion of high-nitrogen steel and nanocrystalline technologies into actual production capacity. Concurrently, they mitigated trade pressures through overseas plant construction and emerging market expansion, propelling the industry's transformation from ‘scale competition’ to a dual-engine approach driven by ‘technology + strategic positioning’.Technological conversion yields significant results as high-end capacity continues to expandBuilding upon technological innovations, enterprises have achieved breakthroughs in mass-producing high-end materials. During the first half of the year, TISCO Group realised two major product launches: firstly, the batch production of hydrogen-based vertical furnace-melted 304L stainless steel commenced, reducing carbon emissions per tonne by 62% compared to traditional processes. primarily supplying new energy vehicle battery casing manufacturers with orders already booked through year-end. Secondly, monthly production capacity for 115mm ultra-thick super duplex steel plates reached 8,000 tonnes, securing Norwegian Ship Classification certification and winning a Brazilian deep-sea oil and gas platform project bid, thereby breaking European monopolies in the ultra-thick duplex steel market. North Heavy Industries Group has focused on industrialising high-nitrogen steel, ramping up its atmospheric pressure melting high-nitrogen stainless steel production line to 30,000 tonnes per annum. Its products have entered China's naval propeller manufacturing sector, replacing imported materials and reducing downstream enterprises' procurement costs by 28%.Capacity deployment centres on green and intelligent manufacturing, strengthening regional cluster effectsLeading enterprises are accelerating green capacity construction, driving industry structural optimisation. Qingshan Group has added two intelligent cold-rolling lines to its stainless steel industrial park in Ningde, Fujian. Employing fully automated rolling and inspection systems, these lines achieve strip precision control within ±0.01 millimetres. Primarily producing ultra-thin strips below 0.1mm for semiconductor applications, the facility will address China's high-end ultra-thin strip capacity gap upon commissioning, with an anticipated annual output of 120,000 tonnes. The Oriental Special Steel project, a joint venture between Hangzhou Iron and Steel and Zhen Shi Holdings, has progressed beyond expectations. Its inaugural 2500mm hot-rolling line commenced trial production in September, powered entirely by green electricity. Focusing on thick plates for wind turbine flanges and precision strip steel for automotive applications, the facility is projected to achieve annual carbon dioxide emissions reductions of 420,000 tonnes upon reaching full capacity in 2026. Concurrently, industrial clusters in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions have strengthened further, with high-end stainless steel processing enterprises now concentrated at 75% in these areas, forming a complete industrial chain encompassing ‘smelting – rolling – deep processing’.Navigating Market Volatility: Domestic and International Synergies to Explore New FrontiersFacing domestic market competition and overseas trade barriers, enterprises have adopted a dual-pronged strategy of ‘domestic and international development’. Domestically, enterprises target new energy demand. Companies like Tsingshan and Delong have expanded production capacity for 443 ultra-pure ferritic stainless steel, with output rising 35% year-on-year in the first half of the year. They prioritise supplying photovoltaic mounting system manufacturers to capture a 4.2 million tonne incremental market. Concurrently, they have launched antimicrobial stainless steel plates for use in medical cleanrooms and food processing facilities, expanding into niche applications. Overseas, firms accelerated trade risk mitigation: Shagang's 1.2 million tonne stainless steel project in Russia commenced operations in June, supplying local construction machinery and building markets to circumvent EU anti-dumping duties; Qingshan Group deepened its Indonesian base development, adding integrated ferronickel-stainless steel capacity. Through its ‘Indonesian smelting + Chinese deep processing’ model, it reduced raw material costs by 15%, exporting products to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and beyond. Overseas revenue rose to 32% of total revenue in the first half.Stainless steel enterprises are currently building new competitive advantages by focusing on technological transformation, supported by capacity optimisation and market expansion. As high-end capacity continues to be released and global operations are refined, the industry will gradually move away from homogeneous competition. Leading enterprises will further enhance their influence within the global industrial chain.