WorldWide Automotive Steel Market, Industry / Sector Analysis Report, Regional Outlook & Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2019 - 2025 (Includes Business Impact of COVID-19)

                                          
Automotive Steel Market size will register exponential gains from 2019 to 2025 due to rising automobile production on account of increasing preference for personal mobility solutions. The availability of a wide range of vehicle models across diversified price range including SUVs, crossovers, sedans, hatchbacks, and MUVs among others by major automobile OEMs further expands the automotive steel market over the projected timeframe.
 

Automobile manufacturers are continuously focusing on lowering the vehicle weight for improving efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, most manufacturers are incorporating high tensile strength steel in their vehicle chassis and frame structure for complying to the stringent regulatory crash norms. For instance, in 2018, Maruti Suzuki launched its upgraded Swift hatchback in India with high tensile steel. This has resulted in significant weight savings and improvements in vehicle efficiency compared to the previous generation of the vehicle.
 

Steel manufacturers are continuously investing in R&D for developing advanced lower weight and higher strength steel for catering to a wide customer base. For instance, in 2017, Korean based Posco launched its giga steel line-up with a focus on reducing weight and improving strength in automobiles. Moreover, the company also supplies the giga steel for SsangYong Rexton G4.
 

Based on vehicle, the automotive steel market share is segmented into PCV, LCV, and HCV. LCV will account for a considerable share owing to increasing usage of these vehicles for transporting cargo and freight across long distances. Moreover, the proliferation of e-commerce activities along with compact size of these vehicles compared to the HCVs make them ideal for a diversified range of applications including home pick-up and delivery.
 

Based on type, the automotive steel market size can be classified into mild steel, alloy steel, and high strength steel. High strength steel will showcase a considerable growth rate on account of stringent regulatory and compliance norms associated with improving vehicle efficiency and lowering carbon emissions. Moreover, the lower strength and improved rigidity of the material significantly improves the vehicle durability, thereby making them compliant with stricter crash norms.
 

The automotive steel market share based on application can be categorized into powertrain, body structure and suspension. Body structure will account for a significant share on account of the availability of a wide range of vehicles with varied body sizes and shapes including hatchbacks, sedans, crossovers, and SUVs. Additionally, industry manufacturers are continuously focusing on improving the vehicle power to weight ratio and lowering vehicle weight for improving efficiency. Additionally, the usage of high strength steel contributes significantly towards increasing product life span and reduces the probabilities of corrosion, thereby expanding the segment share.
 

Europe will account for a significant share in the automotive steel market share. This can be credited to the presence of multiple automobile manufacturers focusing on launching a wide range of vehicles at diversified price. Moreover, the rising demand for premium and sports cars with incorporation of superior body structure and steel materials further accentuates the regional demand.
 

Asia Pacific will exhibit considerable growth rate on account of rising vehicle production across the region. Additionally, stringent regulatory norms including Bharat Stage and CAFÉ norms mandate the improving efficiency and lowering of vehicle efficiency, thereby expanding the regional share over the study timeframe. Most automobile manufactures including Suzuki, Toyota, and Honda among others are upgrading their vehicle portfolio with newer generation vehicles by incorporating high strength steel.
 

Few of the notable players in the automotive steel market size include Posco, United States Steel Corp., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp., JSW Group China Steel Corp., Nucor Corp., ArcelorMittal S.A., Hyundai Steel Co. Ltd., JFE Steel Corp., and Tata Steel Ltd. Industry players are engaged in strategic acquisitions and joint ventures for increasing their market share. For instance, in 2018, JSW Steel completed the acquisition of U.S. based Acero Junction Holding for around USD 81 million. This strategy enabled the company to significantly improve its production processes and cater to a wide client base.