Long Steel Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented, By Process (Basic Oxygen Furnace, Electric Arc Furnace), By Product Type (Rebar, Merchant Bar, Wire Rod, Rail), By End-User Industry (Construction, Infrastructure, Others), By Region, By Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 48.25 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	4.52%
Fastest Growing Segment	Electric Arc Furnace
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 62.91 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Long Steel Market will grow from USD 48.25 Billion in 2025 to USD 62.91 Billion by 2031 at a 4.52% CAGR. Long steel products encompass a range of elongated finished steel forms, including rebars, wire rods, rails, and sections, which serve as essential components in the construction and heavy engineering sectors. The primary driver supporting this market is the consistent global demand for infrastructure development, including the expansion of railway networks, bridges, and residential housing projects driven by rapid urbanization. This reliance on structural growth ensures steady consumption patterns particularly in emerging economies where industrialization is accelerating. According to the World Steel Association, in 2025, steel demand in India was forecast to grow by approximately 9 percent due to robust infrastructure investments, highlighting the critical role of developing regions in sustaining market momentum.

Despite these positive indicators, a significant challenge impeding market expansion is the high volatility of raw material prices, particularly for iron ore and ferrous scrap. Sudden fluctuations in input costs, often exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, create financial uncertainty that complicates long-term project planning for construction firms and squeezes producer margins. This price instability hampers the ability of manufacturers to maintain consistent pricing strategies and threatens the overall stability of the global supply chain.

Key Market Drivers

The rapid expansion of global transport and utility infrastructure serves as a primary catalyst for the long steel market, directly necessitating the high-volume production of rails, heavy sections, and wire rods. Governments worldwide are prioritizing the modernization of logistics networks, such as railway corridors and bridges, which act as the backbone for economic acceleration and industrial connectivity. This strategic focus translates into sustained procurement orders for long steel products, insulating manufacturers from volatility in other sectors. The scale of this investment is substantial; according to the Press Information Bureau, July 2024, in the 'Key Highlights of Union Budget 2024-25', the Government of India increased the capital expenditure outlay for infrastructure development by 11.1 percent to 11,11,111 crore rupees. Such significant capital allocation ensures a steady baseline of consumption for structural steel components, reinforcing the sector's dependence on public works and civil engineering projects.

Accelerating urbanization and residential construction in both emerging and developed economies further solidifies the demand for long steel, specifically regarding reinforcing bars and merchant bars used in housing. As population centers densify, the requirement for vertical expansion in residential complexes and commercial real estate drives the consumption of tensile steel essential for concrete reinforcement. This segment remains resilient due to the continuous need for new housing stock and the retrofitting of existing commercial structures. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, August 2024, in the 'Monthly Construction Spending, June 2024' report, construction spending in the United States reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2,148.4 billion dollars, reflecting strong activity that underpins steel usage. However, producers must navigate broader economic shifts, as indicated by the World Steel Association, in 2024, when global steel demand was forecast to contract slightly by 0.9 percent to 1,751 Mt, suggesting that while specific sectors grow, the aggregate market faces macroeconomic headwinds.

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Key Market Challenges

The high volatility of raw material prices, particularly for iron ore and ferrous scrap, constitutes a substantial impediment to the expansion of the Global Long Steel Market. Manufacturers of elongated steel forms, such as rebars and rails, face significant challenges in maintaining stable pricing mechanisms when input costs exhibit sharp and unpredictable fluctuations. This instability creates a precarious financial environment for construction firms and infrastructure developers, who rely on predictable costs to execute long-term heavy engineering projects. Consequently, the inability to accurately forecast expenses forces these stakeholders to delay procurement decisions or scale back planned infrastructure initiatives to mitigate the risks associated with sudden capital expenditure spikes.

Furthermore, this erratic pricing environment severely compresses producer margins, limiting their capacity to sustain consistent production levels. As manufacturers struggle to absorb escalating costs or pass them on to price-sensitive buyers, the overall market volume stagnates. The tangible impact of these adverse conditions is evident in recent industry performance metrics. According to the World Steel Association, in October 2025, global steel demand was projected to remain flat with zero percent growth, reaching approximately 1,749 million tonnes, confirming that these operational pressures are directly restricting broader market development.

Key Market Trends

The industry is undergoing a fundamental structural shift toward electric arc furnace steelmaking as manufacturers prioritize decarbonization. This transition is particularly prevalent in the long steel sector, where melting scrap allows for the production of rebars and sections with significantly lower carbon footprints compared to blast furnace routes. Producers are allocating substantial capital to replace coal-dependent assets with electrified technologies to meet stringent environmental regulations and customer demand for sustainable building materials. According to Tata Steel, September 2024, in the 'Grant Funding Agreement' press release, the company finalized a 1.25 billion pound investment to transition its Port Talbot steelworks to electric arc furnace technology. This strategic pivot not only lowers emissions but also offers greater operational flexibility in adjusting output to fluctuating market needs.

Simultaneously, the implementation of carbon border adjustment mechanisms is reshaping global supply chain dynamics. Governments are enacting these measures to prevent carbon leakage and shield domestic producers from imports generated in jurisdictions with lax environmental standards, thereby encouraging a regionalization of supply. This regulatory environment forces exporters to document embodied carbon in long products like wire rods, adding compliance costs and altering competitive advantages. The urgency for such measures is underscored by persistent import pressures in developed markets. According to the European Steel Association, May 2024, in the 'Economic and Steel Market Outlook 2024-2025', the share of imports in apparent consumption within the European Union remained historically high at 27 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023. Consequently, manufacturers are realigning their export strategies to focus on markets with compatible regulatory frameworks.

Segmental Insights

The Electric Arc Furnace segment is anticipated to witness the fastest growth in the Global Long Steel Market, driven by an accelerating shift toward sustainable manufacturing. This trajectory is largely influenced by the ability of electric arc furnaces to utilize ferrous scrap, thereby significantly lowering carbon emissions compared to traditional blast furnace routes. Furthermore, rising energy efficiency requirements and strict environmental policies regarding industrial pollution are compelling manufacturers to adopt this technology. This transition supports the production of long steel products while adhering to global decarbonization mandates.

Regional Insights

North America dominates the Global Long Steel Market, driven by extensive infrastructure modernization and thriving construction activities. The region's leadership is reinforced by substantial government funding for public works, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which sustains high demand for structural steel, wire rods, and rebar. According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, the market benefits from rigorous manufacturing standards and a robust supply chain that supports both commercial and residential development. These factors, combined with a resurgence in domestic industrial projects, ensure North America maintains its position as the premier regional market.

Recent Developments

• In March 2025, JFE Steel Corporation and Yamato Kogyo Co., Ltd. announced a collaboration to optimize their operations within the Japanese structural steel market. The partnership involved JFE Steel introducing Yamato Steel as a supplier for selected H-beam products to efficiently meet customer demand starting in April. This strategic move aimed to leverage the respective strengths of both companies' manufacturing facilities to enhance productivity and competitiveness in the domestic section steel sector. The initiative was also designed to address industry challenges such as labor shortages and the growing necessity for carbon-neutral construction materials in the built environment.
• In February 2025, Garuda Yamato Steel launched a new high-tensile earthquake-resistant steel product in Indonesia to address modern construction needs. The company introduced the "Seismic Grade Plus" steel, which featured a yield point of 345 MPa, offering approximately 40% greater strength compared to standard H-beams available in the domestic market. This new long steel product was designed to improve structural safety and seismic resistance while enabling potential construction cost savings of up to 20% through reduced material usage. The strategic product launch positioned the joint venture as the first domestic mill to produce this specific grade of high-strength structural steel.
• In July 2024, Emirates Steel entered into a strategic partnership with Eversendai to support the construction of the NEOM Trojena Ski Village in Saudi Arabia. Under this agreement, the Abu Dhabi-based manufacturer committed to supplying premium structural steel beams for the project, emphasizing the need for high durability and environmentally sustainable materials. This collaboration underscored the company's focus on expanding its presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council region by delivering low-carbon long steel solutions for major infrastructure developments. The alliance was formalized during an official ceremony, marking a significant step in the firm’s regional growth strategy.
• In June 2024, Swiss Steel Group launched a new ecological product line branded as "Green Steel Stainless+" to address the rising demand for sustainable materials. This new offering, produced using electric arc furnace technology, contained over 95% recycled material and demonstrated a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional stainless steel. The product was designed for diverse applications, including construction and medical technology, offering essential properties such as corrosion resistance and high mechanical strength. This launch reinforced the company's commitment to the circular economy and its strategy to supply low-emission special long steel products to the international market.

Key Market Players

• ArcelorMittal
• JFE Steel Corporation
• Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, Inc.
• Emirates Rebar Limited
• Emsteel
• Rak Steel FZE LLC
• Union Iron & Steel
• AlRahed Group

By Process	By Product Type	By End-User Industry	By Region
Basic Oxygen Furnace Electric Arc Furnace	Rebar Merchant Bar Wire Rod Rail	Construction Infrastructure Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Long Steel Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Long Steel Market, By Process:

• Basic Oxygen Furnace
• Electric Arc Furnace

• Long Steel Market, By Product Type:

• Rebar
• Merchant Bar
• Wire Rod
• Rail

• Long Steel Market, By End-User Industry:

• Construction
• Infrastructure
• Others

• Long Steel Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE