“Every industry has its ups and downs. If an enterprise wants to survive and live well in its industry, it must improve its own resistance, strengthen its ability and practice internal skills, so as to respond to all changes unchanged.”On December 6, Mr. Shen Bin, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Shagang Group, was interviewed by a reporter of China Metallurgical News and talked about the countermeasures to this round of adjustment.

The steel industry is notoriously cyclical. Since entering the 21st century, China's steel industry has roughly experienced four cycles, specifically:

From 2001 to 2008, China was in a period of rapid economic growth. Industrialization and urbanization promoted the prosperity of real estate and manufacturing industry, which reached the peak in mid-2008

From 2009 to 2015, under the support of the economic recovery cycle and the "Four Trillion Plan", real estate infrastructure "flew in both wings", and steel prices shook up in the short term, but after 2011, due to serious overcapacity and economic growth slowdown, steel prices entered a continuous 4-year decline cycle;

From 2016 to 2020, the steel industry entered the overcapacity reduction cycle, 140 million tons of "strip steel" production capacity was cleared, and steel prices rose rapidly;

After October 2021, the pressure on real estate increased sharply, the pressure on the demand side of steel gradually emerged, the expectation of stable demand was broken, and the price re-entered the falling channel, which has continued to this day. In the first three quarters of this year, the total profit of steel enterprises was 62.1 billion yuan, down 34.11% year-on-year; The sales margin was 1.33%, down 0.66 percentage points year-on-year.

So, how to overcome the cyclical "spell" and achieve healthy survival and development? As the head of China's private steel enterprises, Shagang has a "weather vane" role in the industry, how to practice internal skills to cope with the complicated future?

"Improve Quality, Green Development, Enhanced cooperation,Artificial Intelligence, Continuous Innovation." Shen Bin gave the "Ten-word Motto" of Shagang’s developing philosophy. "If you practice your inner skills well and you are strong, you can live a good life when you are in upwind period, and you will live a better life when in downwind period." Shen Bin pointed out.

Quality Improvement - Crucial work guidelines

"Improving quality, including product quality and the proportion of steel varieties rise, is the main work guideline for Shagang next year." In fact, the variety structure adjustment is one of our main entry point this year which is ongoing." Shen Bin said. He believes that the core competitiveness of steel enterprises is the product, and the best way to show the brand value of products and create additional profits is the variegated steel.

A few days ago, the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology organized the Shagang 2023 annual new product appraisal meeting, Shagang has six new products through the appraisal, of which two product technology reached the international leading level, 4 reached the international advanced level.

For example, with the international leading level of "low carbon emission high strength Castriphot formed steel HR1500HS based on light strip casting and rolling process", compared with conventional products, the carbon emission of the production process is reduced by more than 70%, and the parts after hot forming have excellent comprehensive mechanical properties. For another example, the "non-oriented silicon steel series products for new energy drive motors" has developed a series of key process technologies, effectively solving the problem of edge cracking and belt breaking during the cold rolling process of high-silicon steel, and realizing the stable production of high-silicon steel series products.

Variety steel is the main source of profit is the conclusion drawn from Shagang practice. "This year, the profit per ton of Shagang's main varieties of steel far exceeds that of ordinary materials." Shen Bin is very familiar with Shagang’s product mix.

As one of the representatives of Shagang variegated steel, the performance of pipeline steel in the market can be described as brilliant this year.

Not long ago, Shagang 46,000 tons of X60MO pipeline steel was successfully sent to the world's largest oil production company - Saudi Arabian National Oil Company, and the products will be applied to the company's related offshore oil and gas transportation projects, and further contribute to the construction of the "Belt and Road".

As a leading supplier of pipeline steel in the industry, Shagang has a complete pipeline steel product system, showing a number of technical advantages, and has developed pipeline steel for submarine oil pipelines, X70/80 pipeline steel with heavy thickness and high toughness, anti-HS corrosion pipeline steel, anti-large deformation pipeline steel and other products. It is the first domestic enterprise to develop heavy thickness X80M products for ultra-low temperature environment in the second-line station of West-East gas transmission, and it is also the first domestic enterprise to pass the thousand-ton identification of hot-rolled steel plate in the anti-large deformation X80HD2 straight seam submerged arc welding pipe, and thus ended the history of China's long-term dependence on imports of such products. At present, Shagang has supplied more than 4 million tons of pipeline steel for the West-East gas pipeline, China-Russia pipeline, Central Asia pipeline, China-Myanmar pipeline, Mexico National Oil and other major pipeline projects at home and abroad. "Shagang Manufacturing" is showing the strong strength of China's steel to the world with high-quality products and services.

Shagang prestressed steel strand is gradually standing out in supporting the important projects and pillars of great power.

Recently, the high-profile Shanghai-Nanjing high-speed railway along the Yangtze River officially operated, in this can be called the "national pillar" construction in the field of transportation, Shagang’s member enterprises - Zhangjiagang Xinhua Prestressed Steel Strand Co., LTD. (hereinafter referred to as "Xinhua Steel Strand Company") as its largest prestressed concrete steel strand supplier, the supply of 37,685 tons, accounting for 40% of the total.

In close cooperation with Shagang Iron and Steel Research Institute, Xinhua Steel Strand Company has successfully developed a variety of new products such as 2200MPa and 2300MPa high strength steel strand, further enhancing the market competitiveness. At present, the company is also providing high-quality products for construction projects such as the high-speed railway along the North Yangtze River.

"We have adjusted the variety structure around some of the country's major projects and high-end manufacturing industries, and the varieties of steel we produce - whether it is heavy plates, cold rolled coils, or high-grade wire products - are the main contributors to Shagang's profits." Shen Bin introduced, "Whether it is the Shanghai-Sutong Yangtze River Railway bridge, or the Qinghai-Tibet Railway bridge, the bridge steel we have produced in recent years has been highly recognized by the industry." In addition, our highly competitive products are wind power tower steel. According to the development trend of new energy, we are also focusing on making container plates."

Then Shen Bin introduced that the variegated steelaccounts for nearly 50%in our product mix. Compared with traditional steel, variegated steelhas higher added value in all aspects of the market, and also in line with the national manufacturing upgrading strategy. "In the future, our driving point is also here - the proportion of variegated steel will be further increased, so as normal ones will be further reduced, in other words, all will be adjusted around the benefit."

In the future, focusing on efficiency and market, Shagang will further improve the production and development capacity of variegated steel and the proportion in the entire product mix, strive to improve product quality, serve the national major projects and high-end manufacturing industrybetter, create a steel plate with international brand influence and competitiveness.

Green Development- Win on the new track

"The realization of the national 'DualCarbon' (carbon peak in 2030, carbon neutral in 2060) goal is a huge challenge for the steel industry and Shagang, but it is also a great opportunity." To do a good job of 'Dual Carbon' is not only to follow the national strategy, but to further enhance the competitiveness of enterprises through 'Dual Carbon' practice." Shen Bin thinks.

The European Commission has published the rules for the transition period of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The rules will take effect on October 1 this year and last until the end of 2025, with the levy officially starting in 2026 and fully implemented by 2034. At this point, the world's first carbon import tax is about to be landed, and CBAM has become the world's first mechanism to respond to global climate change in the form of carbon tariffs. CBAM will initially apply mainly to industries such as cement, steel, aluminum, fertilizer, power and hydrogen, as the production of these commodities is carbon intensive.

Obviously, "double carbon" has become an inescapable "barrier" for China's steel to enter the international market.

"In this case, the products originally produced by the integrated process, that is, the converter process, may now be produced by the electric furnace process, even if the cost of the products produced by the electric furnace process is a little higher (the cost of tons of steel is about 300 yuan/ton higher than the integrated process), but over the carbon tariff of 130 euros per ton of steel (about 1,000 yuan per ton of steel), the cost account of electric furnace steel is beingknown." Shen Bin introduced.

It is estimated that in the smelting stage, although the average carbon emission intensity of the electric furnace steel is about 75% lower than that of the traditional blast furnace + BOF steel, from the cost point of view, the current smelting cost of the short process of the electric furnace is about 300 yuan/ton of steel higher than the smelting cost of the integrated process of the BOF. This is one of the constraints that make it difficult to popularize the short-process on a large scale in a short time.

"We also analyzed our own advantages - Shagang is the largest producer of electric furnace steel in China. The whole Shagang Group has 13 electric furnaces, with a production capacity of more than 10 million tons. Even more, our Castrip integrated process is the world's leading green and low-carbon technology." Shen Bin introduced.

It is reported that the original smelting process of Shagang headquarters is the electric furnace, and now there are five electric furnaces, 5.5 million tons/year output. In addition, Jiangsu HuaiAn Special steel, Dalian Special steel and Fushun Special steel in Liaoning, and Anyang Yongxing Special Steel in Henan have electric furnaces.

"From the view of process carbon reduction, Shagang has natural advantages. How to make good use of Shagang's existing advantages to contribute to carbon reduction is a key work in the future." Shen Bin pointed out.

For example, the "all scrap electric furnace smelting + all green electricity+Castrip" process developed by Shagang produces low-carbon steel with excellent weather resistance, and the carbon reduction of tonnage steel products is more than 95% compared with the traditional "integrated process + hot rolling".

"Now, many customers have indicated that we must use the electric furnace process, because their products are exported to the EU. When you export to the EU, they have to calculate how much scrap is used in your product, what smelting process is used, and what the carbon emissions are, because the carbon emissions of the integrated process are much higher than that of the electric furnace." Shen Bin said.

Shen Bin said that on the basis of doing a good job of the electric furnace and better playing the green and low-carbon function of the electric furnace, Shagang insists on walking on "Two-legs" to carry out other research and the development of low-carbon process, Shagang is also investing and has achieved some results, including but not limited to the blast furnace, the BOF, and green electricity, etc.,. Although Shagang has the largest production capacity of electric furnace steel in China, the main production capacity is still based on integrated process.

Last year, Shagang New Materials Company won the award of "Backbone enterprise" on national bulk solid waste comprehensive utilization; "Research on Efficient Resource utilization Technology and Zero-emission Practice of Solid Waste in Steel Process" won the "First Prize of Science and Technology" of China Association of Circular Economy (CACE); Pipeline steel products successfully selected as national green design products; Shagang No. 2 rotary hearth furnace project had been commissioned well, fully realize the solid waste internal circulation, solve at home.

Meanwhile, Shagang gas-steam combination circulation generating unit (CCPP) project started, after completion is expected to increase the annual power generation of about 750 million KWH, can save 82,300 tons of standard coal; Shagang invested more than 100 million yuan to introduce 3,000 tons/hour continuous ship unloader, with environmental protection, high efficiency, energy saving of three major advantages.

In addition, Shagang built the China’s largest fully enclosed material shed - Shagang No. 6 C-shaped material shed, and built the largest coal coke silo group in Asia...

On June 1 this year, Shagang successfully passed the publicity of the whole process ultra-low emission revamping by the China Iron and Steel Industry Association, becoming the first steel coke complex which pass the publicity of the whole process in Jiangsu Province.

More generally, Shagang firmly implements the development strategy of "Highly competitive products from green developing process", regards energy conservation and green low-carbon development as an important measure to achieve high-quality development, and has invested nearly 20 billion yuan to continuously increase energy conservation and emission reduction efforts. Gradually formed a "reduce from source phase, intelligent classification, efficient transformation, clean energy utilization, deep processing" as the main line of the full chain, full cycle of green development pattern.

"In terms of green and low-carbon development, Shagang is not willing to lag behind. My understanding is: in the new round of competition in our steel industry, green and low-carbon is a new track. On this new track, whoever can move forward a little bit faster and gain a new competitive advantage is likely to be invincible in the next 20-30 years." Shen Bin thinks

Strengthen upstream and downstream links in the industrial chain -- Building a community of shared future

"The competition in the modern steel industry is not fight alone, it goes to the whole industrial chain, or the competition of the community." Whether there is competitiveness is not only to depend on your enterprise itself, but also to rely on your upstream and downstream partner, we call this group warfare - a good supplier, but also your competitiveness; Good customers, but also your competitiveness. Therefore, whether it is upstream partners or downstream products, we have strengthened multi-level cooperation and all-round cooperation to integrate their respective advantages." Shen Bin said.

Indeed, adhering to the cooperation concept of "win-win and all-win", Shagang has not limited our cooperation between the industrial chain to the single sales relationship such as the sale of finished products and the procurement of raw materials, but pays more attention to the integration of resources between the industrial chain, and truly forms a community of destiny through various ways such as complementary collaboration, information sharing and common market development.

On April 24, Katiana Iavarone, Global Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) of Bekaert, visited Shagang. He believes that Shagang is a long-term partner with shared ideas, shared market research and direction, and common difficulties that Bekaert seeks, and the cooperation with Shagang has achieved the continuous improvement of Bekaert in products and comprehensive competitiveness.

It is understood that Bekaert Group is a global technology and market leader in the field of steel wire deformation and coating technology, and is currently the world's largest automotive steel wire tie cord manufacturer.

"Bekaert is typical and an important partner in this area of wire. In the steel plate, CSSC, Hudong, Waigaoqiao, and even a little further one, GUANGZHOU SHIP are Shagang’s strategic users. Shagang gives full play to its logistics cost advantages, comprehensive product range, brand advantages, fast response speed, high efficiency, low cost, and strong supply guarantee ability, forming a stable high-end customer base of Shagang plates." Shen Bin introduced.

Shagang also establish and maintain close relationship with our upstream partners besides the product end

On March 30, Vale S.A. CEO Eduardo Bartolomeo said when he visited Shagang that Vale hopes to create higher benefits together with Shagang, and the two sides will become closer partners to further deepen cooperation in various aspects such as steel carbon reduction.

Headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Vale is one of the world's leading metals and minerals companies and one of the world's leading producers of iron ore and nickel.

On July 5, Zhao Jianze, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Shanxi Coking Coal Group, said in exchange with Shen Bin that Shagang Group, as a world-renowned steel material manufacturing and comprehensive service provider, is an important partner of Shanxi Coking Coal. It is hoped that the two sides will further open up their horizons, innovate ideas and work together to create value on the basis of consolidating cooperation on coking coal supply and demand. Promote the high-quality development of the "coal, steel and coke" industrial chain and supply chain with high-quality cooperation, and jointly contribute wisdom and strength in the construction of the national economy.

"Not only technical and market cooperation at the business level, equity cooperation on capital is an effective way to build a community of common destiny." Shen Bin introduced.

On October 21, Shagang Jinzhou Pipeline Co., LTD. (hereinafter referred to as Shagang Jinzhou Pipeline) held the 2023 annual customer symposium in Shagang Hotel. Shagang Jinzhou Pipeline as an important part of Shagang industrial chain extension, relying on the upstream resources of Shagang and the market and brand advantages of Jinzhou Pipeline, has developed into a domestic steel pipe enterprise with the advantages of integrated production of steel plate and pipe.

Shagang Jinzhou Pipeline is a joint venture and expansion of Shagang Group and listed enterprise Zhejiang Jinzhou Pipeline Technology Co., LTD., which is a professional manufacturer of straight seam submerged arc welding pipe.

"The Jinzhou pipeline has an output of 100,000 tons a year, but it earns 100 million a year, while many steel mills in this industry are still losing money." Our steel works didn’t earn money, but Jinzhou performed well." Shen Bin introduced.

In addition, Shenglong Chemical Co., Ltd. is a coal chemical enterprise jointly built by Shagang Group, Shandong Zaozhuang Mining Group Co., Ltd and Ma Steel Group. Founded in 2003, Shenglong Chemical Co., Ltd. has formed an annual production scale of 2.1 million tons of coke, 250,000 tons of methanol and 108,000 tons of tar, while supporting a coal washery with an annual intake of 1.2 million tons of raw coal.

Shandong Rongxin Group Co., Ltd. is a coal chemical enterprise jointly established by Shagang Group and Shandong Hengxin Group. Established in October 2007, it has an annual production capacity of 2.4 million tons of coke, 250,000 tons of methanol, 110,000 tons of coal tar, crude benzene, ammonium sulfate, sulfur, light and heavy aromatic hydrocarbons, pure benzene, toluene, xylene and other coal chemical products.

Established in November 2007, Linyi Hengchang Coking Co., Ltd. is a coal chemical enterprise jointly funded by Shagang Group and Linyi Hengchang Coal Industry Co., LTD. The company has formed an annual production scale of 1.3 million tons of coke, 60,000 tons of coal tar, 18,000 tons of crude benzene, 20,000 tons of ammonium sulfide and 130,000 tons of methanol, and the 160t/h dry quenching project has been put into operation in January 2019.

The total coke production capacity of nearly 6 million tons has founded a stable coke supply system of Shagang.

There is a specialization in the profession, although Shagang is the shareholder of these enterprises, while the management is mainly responsible for their own party. "To integrate everyone's advantages and create a high-quality circle of friends is no longer the original simple buying and selling relationship." Nowadays, the so-called supply chain of the industrial chain, strong chain, extended chain, extended chain we have been extended, the chain we have been replenished, but the purpose of the chain and extended chain is not to make the industrial chain stronger?" Shen Bin asked back.

In the future, on the basis of multi-level and all-round cooperation with upstream and downstream users around business, technology and market, Shagang will continue to strengthen the complementary advantages between upstream and downstream, division of labor and cooperation, promote enterprises on the chain to further strengthen and highlight the competitive advantages of the whole chain.

"Artificial intelligence" - enhancing competitiveness as a whole

"' Increasing artificial intelligence content'is also what we have been doing for a long time. Its significance is not only in the application of automation equipment or information systems, but more importantly, through equipment upgrading, digital control of the whole process, and intelligent level improvement, to promote quality control, labor efficiency and other all-round improvement, thus promoting the competitiveness of our entire group." Shen Bin thinks.

In June, the People's Government of Suzhou City announced the advanced collective and advanced individual recognition list of Suzhou City in 2022 for "Promoting the development of industrial innovation clusters in the Digital Economy Era", and Shagang was awarded the "Advanced Collective" recognition.

In recent years, Shagang has continued to promote the intelligent upgrading in all aspects of production and operation, not only the application of mature technology in ironmaking and steelmaking, but also the bold attempt of many new technologies to achieve more timely and accurate data collection in all aspects of production and operation, more efficient and convenient enterprise management. At the same time, intelligence and information technology have also driven the progress of the knowledge level and technical skills of the workforce, further improved the unit labor efficiency and added value of work, created a good working environment and reduced work intensity.

"For instance, we implemented four shifts this year, originally it was three shifts. Without increasing the number of people and reducing wages and bonuses, an important way is to use digital, information and intelligent means to increase labor productivity significantly." Shen Bin said.

Visted in BOF workshop, the reporter saw that on the HMI screen in the main control room of the ladle furnace workshop, the operation status of the No. 1-6 ladle car was at a glance, and the working loaded ladle, transported and stopped, which was completed with a click of the mouse. This is the achievement after the successful operation of the "ladle car remote control" project.

By installing a laser rangefinder in the track position, increasing the full range, no dead angle monitoring, and by rewriting the control program for the ladle car control "intelligent" upgrade, to achieve unmanned site, not only reduce the labor intensity of workers, save labor costs, safety production is also more guaranteed, that’s a good representation of " kill three birds with one stone."

On the continuous casting platform in the BOF workshop 2, the ladle is stably transported to the ladle turret, and the robot loaded withthe hydraulic cylinder accurately, turn the turret to casting position, the SEN is mechanicalextended and aligned with the nozzle. Then the casting robot also works, adding the casting powder, measuring temperature, sampling... automatically. The whole process is completed by the“one click” in the operation room. The casting operation is fully automated and intelligent, which greatly improves the production efficiency and production level.

"Quality control, cost reduction, efficiency promotion, environmental improvement... It's all-inclusive, and I can even control the integrity risk by using intelligent means instead of manual intervention." Shen Bin introduced.

In general, the scrap acquisition process is prone to the risk of integrity in steel enterprises. Shagang Scrap one-stop service system can control the realization of scrap business forecast, transporting, accurate report, weighing, grading, settlement and other links of the whole process online dynamic tracking.

Based on deep learning technology, automatic identification technology and remote monitoring technology of scrap, Shagang intelligent grading system realizes real-time automatic grading of scrap, greatly reduces the labor intensity of employees, and promotes the safe, accurate and efficient operation of scrap inspection work.

Without human intervention, there is naturally no risk of integrity.

At present, "Intelligence control" has been spread throughout the various systems of Shagang.

"Intelligent upgrading is the key work of Shagang and even the industry in the future, Shagang will strive to promote the construction of digital factories in the main production base to the end of the '14th Five-Year Plan', and strive to reach the international leading level of per capita steel production in the main industry." Shen Bin said.

Encouraging Innovation -- Stimulating internal driving force

"On the current industry situation, innovation must be certainly high at the top of our working list, Shagang’s innovation work covers all aspects and levels, the content of innovation should include innovation consciousness, innovation atmosphere, innovation mechanismetc., Innovation can mobilize and stimulate the inner vitality and driven force from Shagang group company and all member enterprises as well.” Shen Bin stressed

Shen Bin believes that the premise of competition is to consume inventory or even reduce production, “involution” is getting more and more intense. Innovation is the key for all enterprise to adapt to the current environment!

To innovate, you need talent. Shagang regards talents as the most valuable resource of the company, and has always been committed to "Integrate steel production and talent cultivation into one community", and strives to build platforms such as employee innovation, skill competition, assessment and evaluation, and three-channel construction, and runs through production and operation, safety and environmental protection, quality management and other work. Through multi-dimensional, multi-level and all-round assessment and selection, truly realize the full use of talents. At the same time, we rely on Shagang Iron and Steel Research Institute to tackle difficultieson production and technology, and has trained a group of high-end R & D talents in the steel industry who master the world's cutting-edge iron and steel metallurgy technology, are good at handling scientific subject and technological innovation.

"Our core values of Shagang are 'seriously do everything, anticipate in advance, encourage new ideas', and the innovative thinking pattern of all cadres and employees is the most critical, because all work, whether it is quality improvement, green development, intensive cooperation or other work, depends on Shagang cadres and employees to promote and complete, especially the group's main leadership team and management personnel." Therefore, the innovative mindset of cadres and employees is the core competitiveness. Shen Bin pointed out.

Stimulate people's endogenous power and vitality, strengthen cooperation on production-university-research, break through the "stuck neck" technology, and make product quality and core competitiveness into the first square of the international steel industry.

A few days ago, the Jiangsu Provincial Human Resources and Social Security Department announced the list of special technicians in the first half of 2023, Shagang Zou Changdong, Xu Weidong, Zhou Enhui, these 3 highly skilled talents on the list, with Chen Xiyunwho got the enterprise independent evaluation certification in 2022, Shagang has 4 "special technicians", occupying 80% of the seats in Zhangjiagang City.

Over the years, Shagang has always regarded talents as the first resource for enterprise development, and the annual funds for talent training and incentive exceed 100 million yuan. Through in-depth implementation of active, open and efficient talent education policies, Shagang has built a full-career talent growth system covering technology, skills, research, development and management. It provides a broad space for the growth of skilled talents.Not only internal training of talents, internal innovation, but also good at using the "external brain" to strengthen innovation and strengthen talent training, Shagang Group has built a high-end innovation circle.

On July 24, the signing ceremony of strategic cooperation between Jiangsu Shagang Group and University of Science and Technology Beijing was held. According to the agreement, Shagang and USTB will base on the principle of "equal consultation, complementary advantages, resource sharing, and practical pursuit", aim at the international scientific and technological frontier and major national strategic needs, and give full play to the technological, disciplinary, industrial and resource advantages of both sides in view of the "bottleneck" key problems, industry common key technologies and basic science research weaknesses. Focus on personnel training, adhere to complementary advantages, create technical characteristics, and carry out industry-university-research collaborative innovation and comprehensive strategic cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, achievement transformation, academic exchanges, think tank consulting and other aspects, so as to jointly contribute to the high-quality development of Shagang Group and the "double TOPs" construction of USTB. At the same time, the two sides jointly set up the State Key Laboratory of New Metal Materials - Shagang Group Joint Research and development Center and the State Key Laboratory of New metal materials Shagang Research and development Base, give full play to the strategic position of the State key laboratory, deeply integrate Shagang's industrial development needs, and carry out in-depth cooperation in the field of energy, aerospace advanced metal materials and low-carbon short process technology. Promote the transformation of the State key laboratory in the service of new metal materials to the national economy and needs.

Of course, with the implementation of a series of initiatives, Shagang's innovative achievements are also emerging. Recently, the China Iron and Steel Industry Association announced the 21st (2023) list of metallurgical enterprise management modernization innovation achievements, Shagang’s 6 achievements on the list.

"Get six management innovation achievement awards at one time is indispensable for motivation and innovation atmosphere." Now, our ton of steel research and development costs more than 100 yuan, in the forefront of the industry. Of course, investment in research and development is also laying the foundation for future development." Shen Bin pointed out.

At Shagang, improvement equal to innovation, and everyone can innovate. Shagang takes the construction and reform of industrial workers as the driving force and the strengthening of employee innovation as the focus, extensively carries out mass innovation activities such as minor modification, 6S-TPM improvement proposal, QC group activities, and regularly organizes evaluations to reward, promote and publicize the mass innovation achievement projects with new measures and methods, good implementation effect and great promotion value. Vigorously create a strong atmosphere of innovation and glory, greatly stimulating the enthusiasm of the majority of employees for innovation and creation. In recent years, Shagang has formed more than 10,000 innovation achievements related to production, quality, environment and safety every year, achieved good economic and social benefits, and injected inexhaustible impetus for the high-quality development of enterprises.

"Not only technological innovation, management innovation, the so-called all-round innovation, but also whole-person innovation, such as all staff innovation, must be moved." Shen Bin said that next year, Shagang will hold a group innovation conference to fully mobilize the innovation momentum of the whole group and stimulate innovation vitality.

In the future, Shagang will summarize, commend and promote the innovation achievements from technology, management and staff and other aspects in stages through various forms of innovation conferences, continue to gather innovation awareness, create innovation atmosphere, optimize innovation mechanism, and fully mobilize the internal vitality and motivation of all levels of the Group and the majority of cadres and employees. Promote the improvement of real indicators with conscious innovation and creation, and lay a good foundation for future development.

"There is no denying that 'reduction' is a long-term trend, but the difficulties are only relative, and when the environment is not good, some adjustments are made for the better development of the industry." Shen Bin said.

"In the generally believed that are steel enterprises still have roomin the 'involution' period of China's steel development on the stock or even the reduction trend?" The reporter finally asked.

"We steel people should have a global vision, can not only stare at the Chinese market, the world's overall steel demand is still increasing, it depends on how you build a new competitive advantage in the world steel industry." Even the Chinese market is not closed, but that is interconnected with the international and global markets, steel people should take the initiative to seek new changes and adapt to new changes, steel still has a better tomorrow." Shen Bin finally said.