Iran state-owned Imidreo plans to build up two new pelletizing plants in Gol e Gohar.
Ahmad Ali Harati Nik, vice minister of Iran Industry and Mining Department stated that these new pellet production capacity is aiming to satisfy raw material demand from increasing Iran's steel output. Iran's steel production capacity within two years will rise to 25mln tons, and it will further jump to 35mln tons within five years.
The World Steel Association's data showed that in 2008 Iran yielded 10mln tons of crude steel. Ahmad also claimed that the current pellet output is around 25mln-27mln tons per year, it can meet the demand temporarily, but Iran should make the preparation for the future demand.
As the previous report, recently, one pelletizing plant is put into production by Gol e Gohar, to provide the goods for the domestic steel producers. It is said that the plant can produce 5mln tons per year, and it provides pellet ore for Mobarakeh and Khozestan.

In October, Turkey's steel pipe exports surged by 46.23 percent over September, following their decline in the previous 3 consecutive months.
According to the statistics released by the Istanbul Mineral and Metals Exporters' Association, in October Turkey's total steel pipe exports amounted to 138,317 tonnes increasing by 9.52 percent YoY and up 46.23 percent MoM. Meanwhile, the revenue generated by these exports totalled USD 129.54 million down 18.49 percent compared to the same month of the previous year but up 47.24 percent over September 2009. In October, the average export price of Turkish steel pipe amounted to USD 937 per ton up USD 7 per ton or 0.7 percent from September levels and indicating a decrease of USD 321 per ton or 25.57% from USD 1,258 per ton in October 2008.
On the other hand, in the January to October period of the current year, Turkey's steel pipe exports slid 11.02% YoY to 1.3 million ton totalling a value of USD 1.23 billion down 26.56 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

The joint venture Hamriyah Steel has been established in 2006. Its co owner from UAE part is the Chairman of National Investment Corporation, Honorable Chairman of Abu-Dhabi Chamber of Commerce HE Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa bin Zeyed al Nahyan.
The contract for construction has been signed with Italian company SMS Meer in June 2007 on turn key basis, the construction started in March 2008 and by November 2009 completed 95 percent. In summer 2009 long term guaranties for water, power and gas supply has been obtained. This is a matter of vital importance, because there are a number of projects in Gulf region terminated because of such guaranties haven't been obtained. Now the trials are held at the mill and first 4000 tons of billets from Ural Steel, which will be the billet supplier for the mill has been shipped already. The commission of the mill will be on January 6, 2010. Hamriyah Steel planned capacity is 1 million tons of rebar annually. For 2010 it is planned 660,000 tonnes gradually increasing output from 10000 tonnes in January to 80000 tonnes in December. The product will be in the range of 10 to 40 mm diameter and meet local and international standards BS4449, ASTM A615, DIN 488. With this there will be implied an advanced technology of thermo-strengthening of steel products which aims to improve properties of low-carbon steel by surface hardening and its self tempering. Thermo-strengthening enables to reach yield strength to 550 MPa keeping good results for elongation and welding ability.
The management of Hamriyah Steel estimates annual demand for rebar in UAE as 4.5 million tons to 5 million tons and pretends for 20 percent of the market. Moreover, there are plans to export it to neighbor Gulf countries, Iran and Egypt. In October 2009 Buch Sehederberg from Liberty Commodities assumed UAE can turn into net-exporter of rebar soon. Now we see how this forecast has got a chance to become true quite rapidly. Hamriyah Steel to be the second rebar producer by capacity in UAE, the first mill which has been constructed by a CIS-based company abroad Russia or Ukraine, the first large metallurgical enterprise constructed by a foreign company in Gulf region

Kuwait based Gulf Investment Corporation has delayed until the Q1 of 2010 the development of the USD 750 million Sulb steel plant in Bahrain in order to allow more time to structure the debt being raised to finance the project.
Construction of the 1.8 million tons per year plant was due to start by the end of 2009 and take over 2 years to complete. Financing for the project was also due to be put in place before the end of the year. But following meetings between bankers and GIC in October, both sides agreed to delay the timetable for the project's development. The delay is necessary because 5 banks are still carrying out due diligence. The banks are Jordan's Arab Bank, France's Societe Generale, Banque Saudi Fransi and Mizuho Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation both of Japan.
Gulf United Steel Company is sponsoring the project. Gulf Investment Corporation owns 50 percent of Foulath, Qatar Steel owns 25 percent, Kharafi Group and National Industries Group both of Kuwait, each own 10 percent stakes and Kuwait Foundry Company owns 5 percent.

Serdar Kocturk chairman from Turkey's Steel Exporter Association said that due to the global financial crisis, the debar exporting to UAE declined significantly compared with that in 2007 and 2008 and the market share had decreased 70 percent.
Since the end of 2008, the UAE construction industry such as Dubai remained sluggish and the demand for construction steel was weak. Dubai once was the main export market of the Turkey's steel manufacturers.
In view of this, Turkey's steel mills had to turn to new export markets in North Africa such as Egypt, Libya and Algeria to make up for the decrease of the export shares in the traditional market.

CI Capital expects Ezz Steel to post a Q3 2009 net loss of EGP 21 million as compared with EGP 502 million profit a year ago.
CI Capital said that during Q3 2009, local steel prices witnessed their lowest levels. Prices averaged EGP 2,700 per ton for steel rebars and EGP 2,800 per ton for flat steel. It said , "This drop in local steel prices mirrored the drop in the international steel price and was driven by an oversupply in international steel products. The result was the importing of steel from abroad to meet the local demand for steel rebars

Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Work's Turkish JV MMK Atakas has closed financing for integrated steel plant JV in Turkey.
Financing comprises of EUR 384 million export credit facility and USD 450 million commercial facility along with USD 60 million working capital facility.
MMK Atakas JV plans to setup 2.3 million ton flat product steel plant by end of December 2010.