Stainless Steel Exports "On a Tear": Indonesia's Momentum Is Simply Unstoppable

Latest data shows that Indonesia's stainless steel exports are hitting record highs at a racing pace.

According to statistics from BigMint, from January to September 2025, Indonesia's exports of finished stainless steel flat products reached 2.39 million tons, a 7% increase compared to 2.24 million tons during the same period last year. This growth highlights Indonesia's increasingly solid position in the global stainless steel supply chain.

Significant Demand from Multiple Asian Countries and Regions
In terms of export destinations, Indonesia's stainless steel has seen "blooming" success across Asian markets:

China remains the largest buyer of Indonesian stainless steel, with imports reaching 760,000 tons in the first three quarters, a year-on-year increase of 2%. Particularly noteworthy is that exports to China in September alone surged by 13% month-on-month.

Vietnam imported 510,000 tons, a significant 15% year-on-year increase; Malaysia experienced "explosive growth," with imports soaring to 200,000 tons, a remarkable 103% year-on-year increase.

Steady Progress in the Taiwan Region of China
The Taiwan region of China ranked second with imports of 570,000 tons, maintaining stable growth.

Core Hub Status Highlighted
Behind the export data lies the "full-throttle" operation of Indonesia's port system. Among them, the Port of Bahodopi handled the vast majority of export tasks, with a throughput of 2.36 million tons, a 7% year-on-year increase, making it undoubtedly the "core artery" of Indonesia's stainless steel exports. Other ports, such as Tanjung Priok, also contributed significant growth, with an increase of 18%.

Why Is the Growth Momentum "Simply Unstoppable"?
The strong momentum of Indonesia's stainless steel exports is no accident but stems from its unique and hard-to-replicate core competitiveness:

Major producers continue to expand production, such as Krakatau Posco's hot-rolled mill, the ongoing output increase from the Tsingshan Industrial Park, and the upcoming new capacity from the new joint venture, Glory Metal Company, providing a steady supply of goods for exports.

As a global leader in nickel ore resources, Indonesia holds the key raw material advantage for stainless steel production. Local low-cost nickel iron gives it highly competitive production costs, an "ace card" that many other countries cannot match.

Industry analysis points out that, thanks to the continuous release of production capacity, solid cost advantages, and active marketing by steel mills, Indonesia's stainless steel exports are expected to remain high for the foreseeable future. The growth momentum of this "Southeast Asian stainless steel giant" indeed seems unstoppable.