According to Towards Chemical and Materials Consulting, the global iron and steel market is projected to grow from USD 1.83 trillion in 2025 to USD 2.95 trillion by 2035, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.85 % over the forecast period from 2026 to 2035. A study published by Towards Chemical and Materials a sister firm of Precedence Research.
Ottawa, Nov. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global iron and steel market size accounted for USD 1.83 trillion in 2025 and is expected to be worth around USD 2.95 trillion by 2035, exhibiting at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.85 % over the forecast period 2026 to 2035. Asia Pacific dominated the iron and steel market with a market share of 65% the global market in 2025. The iron and steel market is experiencing robust growth, driven primarily by rapid urbanization and large-scale infrastructure development, including roads, bridges, and commercial and residential buildings.

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What is Iron and Steel?
The global iron and steel market is witnessing steady growth, fueled by strong demand from construction, automotive, and industrial sectors. Rapid urbanization and infrastructure development, particularly in emerging economies, are driving the consumption of structural steel and long products. The automotive industry’s increasing production of vehicles and focus on safety and lightweight components is boosting the need for high-strength and specialty steels.
Growth in energy, machinery, and consumer goods sectors further supports demand for stainless and alloy steels. Additionally, technological advancements in steel production, recycling initiatives, and sustainability-focused policies are enhancing efficiency and reducing environmental impact, positioning the market for continued expansion.
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Iron and Steel Market Report Highlights
What Is The Role Of Iron And Steel In Clean Energy Transitions?
Steel production is highly reliant on coal, which is primarily used as a reducing agent to extract iron from iron ore and to provide the carbon content needed in steel. Over the past decade, total CO2 emissions from the iron and steel sector have risen, largely owning to increases in steel demand. The direct CO2 intensity of crude steel production has decreased slightly in the past few years, but efforts need to be accelerated to get on track with the pathway in the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario.
Why Is Iron and Steel Important?
Driven by population and economic growth, global demand for steel has been growing strongly in recent years and is expected to continue to increase, especially because of economic expansion in India, ASEAN countries and Africa, even as demand in China gradually declines.
Types of Iron
As previously said, pure iron isn’t really useful since it’s very soft and reactive. However, its properties are greatly enhanced when it’s alloyed with other metals and non-metals. Thus, all materials that people broadly refer to as iron are actually different types of iron-based alloys. There are several types of iron:
History of Iron Production
Iron was undoubtedly known to the ancient world, and one of the earliest examples is beads made from meteoritic iron ore dating back to 3,500 BC Egypt. Mankind didn’t extract iron from the Earth due to a lack of technological knowledge, so they associated this metal with heavenly origins. Egyptians continued to work with meteoritic iron until 2,500 BC.
At the same time, samples of smelted iron can be found in Asmar, Mesopotamia, and Syria, dating between 3,000 and 2,700 BC. The Hittites were among the first to smelt iron between 1,500 and 1,200 BC, and it’s likely that the practice of iron smelting spread throughout the rest of the ancient world, ushering in the Iron Age.
Cast iron first appeared in the 5th century BC in China but was hardly used in Europe until the medieval period. Cast iron eventually replaced wrought iron towards the end of the 18th century, when its use became incredibly widespread, furthering the development of construction, transportation, and numerous other industries.
Read More News : Carbon Steel Market Size to Worth USD 1.80 Trillion by 2035
Read More News : Flat Steel Market Size to Hit USD 1,157.84 Billion by 2034
Read More News : Structural Steel Market Size to Surpass USD 188.63 Billion by 2034
Read More News : Stainless Steel Market Size to Worth USD 357.28 Billion by 2034
Read More News : Steel Rebar Market Size to Surpass USD 426.51 Billion by 2034
Read More News : Metal Stamping Market Size to Worth USD 385.66 Billion by 2035
Types of Steel
As an alloy, steel can be enhanced with different amounts of different chemical elements, resulting in more than 3,500 different steel grades, each with its unique properties. However, these grades are typically grouped into four different types of steel:
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Iron And Steel Market Report Scope
| Report Attribute | Details |
| Market size value in 2026 | USD 1.92 Trillion |
| Revenue forecast in 2035 | USD 2.95 Trillion |
| Growth Rate | CAGR of 15.75% from 2026 to 2035 |
| Market size volume in 2025 | 7,329.51 million tons |
| Volume forecast in 2030 | 10,953.98 million tons |
| Growth Rate | CAGR of 3.25% from 2026to 2035 |
| Base year for estimation | 2025 |
| Historical data | 2020 - 2025 |
| Forecast period | 2026 - 2035 |
| Quantitative Units | Volume in kilotons, Revenue in USD million, and CAGR from 2026 to 2035 |
| Report coverage | Volume forecast, revenue forecast, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends |
| Segments covered | By Product Type, By Steel Type, By Production Method, By Application, By End-User Industry, By Region |
| Regional scope | North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South Africa, Middle East & Africa |
| Country scope | U.S; Canada; Mexico; Germany; UK; France; Spain; Italy; Russia; Turkey; India; China; Japan; South Korea; Argentina; Brazil; Iran |
| Key companies profiled | Arcelor Mittal S.A., China BaoWu Steel Group Corporation Limited; Nippon Steel Corporation; HBIS Group; Jiangsu Shagang Group; POSCO HOLDINGS INC.; Tata Steel; JFE Steel Corporation; Shougang Group; Nucor Corporation; JSW ; SAIL; NLMK; Techint Group; U.S. Steel Corporation |
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Forging the Future: How AI is Transforming the Iron and Steel Industry
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the iron and steel industry by enhancing efficiency, reducing operational costs, and improving product quality. AI-powered predictive maintenance helps prevent equipment failures in blast furnaces and rolling mills, minimizing downtime and production losses. Advanced algorithms optimize raw material usage, energy consumption, and process parameters, leading to higher yields and lower emissions. AI-driven supply chain management enables better demand forecasting, inventory control, and logistics planning, ensuring timely delivery of steel products.
Private Industry Investments in the Iron and Steel Industry:
What are the Key Trends of the Global Iron and Steel Market?
The industry faces immense pressure from regulators and consumers to reduce its significant carbon footprint. This has led to major investments in low-emission technologies, such as hydrogen-based steelmaking and increased use of Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) that rely heavily on recycled scrap metal and renewable energy sources.
Steelmakers are increasingly integrating advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and automation to optimize operations. These digital solutions enhance efficiency, enable predictive maintenance to reduce downtime, and improve overall product quality and supply chain management.
While established markets in Europe and North America focus on specialized high-strength steels and sustainability, the primary growth in steel demand is shifting towards emerging economies, especially India and Southeast Asia, driven by rapid urbanization and massive infrastructure projects. This growth, however, is often affected by geopolitical tensions, trade protectionism, and fluctuating raw material prices.
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Iron and Steel Market Segmentation Insights
Product Type Insights
The finished steel segment dominated the market in 2025 because end-use industries increasingly demanded ready-to-use steel products that reduce processing time and enhance project efficiency. Construction, automotive, machinery, and energy sectors relied heavily on finished steel forms such as sheets, coils, bars, and structural components to support faster manufacturing and installation. Rising global infrastructure development and industrial expansion drove the need for high-quality, standardized finished steel to meet strict performance and safety requirements.
The direct reduced iron (DRI) is the second-largest product, leading the market due to its growing importance as a cleaner, low-carbon alternative to traditional blast-furnace ironmaking. Increasing global pressure to decarbonize steel production encouraged mills, especially those using electric arc furnaces, to adopt DRI for its lower emissions and consistent quality. The expanding availability of natural gas and the rise of hydrogen-based DRI technologies further strengthened its appeal as a sustainable feedstock.
Steel Type Insights
The carbon steel segment led the market in 2025 because it remained the most widely used and cost-effective material across construction, automotive, machinery, and energy applications. Its versatility, strength, and ease of fabrication made carbon steel the preferred choice for structural components, pipelines, and industrial equipment. Rapid infrastructure development and urban expansion in emerging economies significantly increased demand for carbon steel products such as rebars, beams, and sheets.
The AHSS & advanced alloy steel segment is expected to grow fastest over the forecast period due to rising demand from the automotive industry for stronger, lighter materials that improve fuel efficiency and meet strict safety regulations. Automakers increasingly adopted AHSS for vehicle body structures, crash components, and lightweight designs without compromising strength. Advanced alloy steels were also essential for high-performance machinery, energy systems, and industrial equipment requiring superior durability and heat resistance.
Production Method Insights
In 2025, the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) segment led the market because it remained the most efficient and high-volume method for producing primary steel, especially in regions with strong demand for construction and automotive-grade steel. BOF technology allowed steelmakers to convert iron ore into high-quality steel at large scales, supporting rapid output to meet global infrastructure and manufacturing needs. Its ability to produce a wide range of steel grades made it indispensable for industries such as construction, automotive, energy, and heavy machinery
The electric arc furnace (EAF) segment is the second-largest segment, leading the market due to its superior energy efficiency, lower operating costs, and ability to use scrap steel as the primary raw material. Growing global emphasis on decarbonization and sustainability pushed steelmakers to adopt EAF technology, which produces significantly fewer carbon emissions than traditional BOF methods. The rising availability of high-quality scrap metal and advancements in EAF technology enabled consistent production of high-grade steels for automotive, construction, and machinery applications.
Application Insights
The construction & infrastructure segment led the market in 2025 due to massive global investments in roads, bridges, railways, airports, and urban development projects. Rapid urbanization in emerging economies significantly increased demand for structural steel, rebars, and long products essential for large-scale construction. Governments prioritized infrastructure modernization and smart city initiatives, further boosting steel consumption. The segment also benefited from steel’s durability, versatility, and cost-effectiveness compared to alternative building materials.
The automotive & energy sectors segment is the second-largest segment, leading the market due to rising global vehicle production and the growing need for durable, high-performance steel in power generation and energy infrastructure. Automakers increasingly used advanced high-strength steels to meet fuel efficiency, safety, and emission standards, boosting demand across passenger and commercial vehicles. At the same time, the energy sector expanded investments in pipelines, transmission towers, wind turbines, and power plants, all of which require specialized alloy and carbon steels.
End-user Industry Insights
The commercial construction segment dominates the market due to the surge in infrastructure development, including offices, retail complexes, hotels, and mixed-use buildings across emerging and developed economies. Rapid urbanization and rising investments in smart cities increased the need for structural steel, reinforcement bars, and high-strength steel products. Commercial builders preferred steel for its durability, flexibility, and faster construction timelines compared to traditional materials.
The OEMs (automotive, machinery) is projected to fastest growth in the market due to rising global production of vehicles, industrial equipment, and heavy machinery. Automakers increasingly relied on high-strength and lightweight steel grades to meet fuel efficiency, safety, and emission standards. Machinery and equipment producers boosted demand for durable alloy and carbon steels needed for gears, engines, frames, and precision components. Rapid industrialization and automation in emerging economies further accelerated the need for reliable steel inputs across factory equipment and manufacturing systems.
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Regional Insights
Asia Pacific: The Powerhouse Steering the Global Iron & Steel Frontier Communications
The Asia Pacific iron and steel market size was valued at USD 1.19 Tillion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 1.92 Tillion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 4.90% from 2025 to 2035.

The Asia-Pacific dominated the market with nearly 70% share in 2025 due to its massive industrial base, rapid infrastructure expansion, and the world’s largest construction and manufacturing hubs concentrated in China, India, Japan, and South Korea, which collectively drive unprecedented steel consumption. The region benefits from abundant raw materials, large-scale low-cost production, and government-backed investments in transport, urbanization, renewable energy, and automotive sectors, further strengthening its global leadership.
India Iron and Steel Market Trends
India’s market in 2025 is driven by strong infrastructure expansion, sustained growth in construction activities, and rising demand from automotive, engineering, and capital goods industries. Government initiatives such as “Make in India,” the National Steel Policy, and massive investments in transportation, housing, and renewable energy projects are boosting domestic steel consumption. The country is also rapidly expanding its production capacity through both BF-BOF and EAF/DRI routes, supported by improved raw material availability and technological upgrades.

Middle East & Africa: The Next-Big Leap in Global Iron & Steel Momentum
The Middle East & Africa region is witnessing the fastest growth in the market as rapid urban development, large-scale infrastructure projects, and heavy investments in energy, transportation, and construction fuel soaring steel demand. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and South Africa are accelerating mega-projects, from smart cities and industrial corridors to renewable energy parks, that require high steel consumption. At the same time, expanding manufacturing capabilities, abundant natural resources, and government-driven economic diversification programs are boosting regional steel production.
The UAE Iron and Steel Market Trends
The UAE market in 2025 is characterized by strong demand driven by large-scale infrastructure projects, ongoing urban development, and continued investments in construction linked to tourism, logistics, and industrial expansion. The country’s focus on diversifying its economy beyond oil, supported by initiatives like Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and Abu Dhabi’s industrial strategy, is fueling consumption of structural steel, rebar, and high-strength materials.
Top Companies in the Iron and Steel Market & Their Offerings
Recent Breakthrough in the Iron and Steel Industry
More Insights in Towards Chemical and Materials:
Iron and Steel Market Top Key Companies:
Iron and Steel Market Report Segmentation
This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2019 to 2034. For this study, Towards Chemical and Materials has segmented the global Iron and Steel Market
By Product Type
By Steel Type
By Production Method
By Application
By End-User Industry
By Regional
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