New National Standard Implementation + Technological Breakthrough: Aluminum-Clad Steel-Core Aluminum Strand Industry Enters a New Cycle of High-Quality Development
Since 2025, driven by the official implementation of the new national standard GB/T17937-2024, the intensive commissioning of UHV projects, and the surge in new energy grid connection demand, China's aluminum-clad steel-core aluminum strand (ACSR/ACAR) industry has ushered in dual opportunities of industrial upgrading and market expansion. From product standard iteration to the localization of core technologies, from regional production capacity optimization to overseas market breakthroughs, the industry is accelerating transformation centered on "high strength, high conductivity, high corrosion resistance, and intelligence". The domestic market scale is expected to exceed 48 billion yuan in 2025 and climb to 72 billion yuan by 2030, maintaining a high compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%.
New National Standard Leads Industry Upgrade, Product Performance Reaches New Heights
The two-year revised national standard GB/T17937-2024 "Aluminum-Clad Steel Wires for Electrical Purposes" was fully implemented in 2025, becoming a "vane" for the industry's high-quality development. This standard upgrade achieved three core breakthroughs: first, the product system expansion, adding new models such as LB25 aluminum-clad steel wire and LBY10, LBY14 aluminum-clad invar wires to fill the performance gaps in special scenarios and meet the diversified needs of UHV, 5G communications, etc.; second, the strengthened performance requirements, clarifying the minimum aluminum layer thickness standard for new models, optimizing the tensile strength and elongation indicators of existing products such as LB14 and LB20. Among them, the tensile strength of aluminum-clad steel wire exceeds 1850MPa, and the conductivity is increased to 61.5% IACS, balancing transmission efficiency and structural stability; third, the improved testing system, adding multiple test methods for appearance, diameter, joints, etc., introducing the linear expansion coefficient testing item, and making the sampling rules more scientific to ensure product quality compliance throughout the whole process. Experts from the National Technical Committee of Standardization for Steel stated that the new national standard has fully aligned with international standards, which will promote the accelerated clearance of 30% low-performance production capacity and guide the industry towards high-end and standardized development.
Remarkable Achievements in Technological Tackling, Accelerated Localization Substitution
The localization of core technologies has become the core driving force for the industry's development, with comprehensive breakthroughs in three major fields: materials, equipment, and testing. In terms of materials, the rare earth alloy-reinforced aluminum-clad steel wire independently developed by Hebei Iron and Steel Group has been mass-applied in the Ximeng-Shandong UHV project, with corrosion resistance 40% higher than that of imported products, breaking the long-term monopoly of enterprises such as Japan's Nippon Steel and South Korea's POSCO; the hot-dip plating process jointly developed by China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. and Central South University has achieved an aluminum layer thickness uniformity of 96.7%, effectively solving the problem of interface oxidation of the cladding layer. In the equipment field, the multi-layer co-extrusion composite system developed by Shanghai Junshi Electromechanical has passed ISO 9001 certification, with core parameters reaching the international advanced level. Its penetration rate in the high-end market has increased to 28.5%, and the investment payback period of a single production line has been shortened to less than 6 years; the effect of intelligent transformation is remarkable. Leading enterprises have introduced AI closed-loop control systems and machine vision inspection technologies, controlling the aluminum layer thickness tolerance within ±0.02mm, reducing the product defect rate to below 0.3‰, and lowering the unit energy consumption by 18.7% compared with traditional processes. In terms of testing technology, the X-ray 3D real-time imaging system of Harbin Weidi Electronics has realized online detection of aluminum layer thickness at the 0.01mm level, with operation and maintenance costs 62% lower than imported equipment, and has been applied on a large scale in Guodian Nanjing Automation Co., Ltd.'s projects.
Optimized Market Demand Structure, Synergistic Development of Regional and Overseas Layouts
The domestic market presents a dual-drive pattern of "UHV + new energy", with significant characteristics of regional demand differentiation. In the UHV field, ±800kV projects such as Longdong-Shandong and Jinshang-Hubei are being intensively promoted, and 1250mm² large-section aluminum-clad steel-core aluminum strands have become the mainstream configuration. The proportion of relevant demand is expected to increase to 45% in 2025; the demand for new energy grid connection remains strong. The demand growth rate of new energy bases in Northwest and North China has exceeded the national average by 4 percentage points for three consecutive years. The construction of wind-solar bases in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and other places has driven a surge in demand for anti-icing and sand-resistant products. In terms of regional distribution, East China leads the country with a 38.7% market share. The bidding volume of Jiangsu and Shandong provinces in the first half of 2024 increased by 23.8% and 19.6% year-on-year respectively; South China has benefited from the power grid interconnection of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and offshore wind power projects, with a demand growth rate of 19%; relying on the "West-to-East Power Transmission" strategy, Northwest China's market share has increased to 28%, becoming a new growth engine.
Overseas markets have become a new growth pole for the industry, with continuous expansion of export scale. The implementation of the RCEP agreement has driven the release of demand in the Southeast Asian market. The industry's export growth rate reached 15% in 2023, and products are mainly supplied to Southeast Asian power interconnection projects; enterprises are accelerating their overseas layout, focusing on radiating countries along the "Belt and Road" to avoid trade barriers. Data from the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association shows that the domestic output of aluminum-clad steel-core aluminum strands is expected to reach 1.672 million tons in 2025, the capacity utilization rate will increase to 88%, and the global market share will exceed 77%, making China the world's core supply base.
Urgent Green Transformation, Long-Term Trend Focuses on High-End Scenarios
Under the "dual carbon" goal, green production has become a new competitive track for the industry. 73% of enterprises have included the replacement of pickling and phosphating processes in their technological transformation plans. Enterprises such as Hebei Iron and Steel Group and Baowu Group have reduced the carbon emission per unit product by 22% compared with 2020 through green power substitution and waste heat recovery to meet the requirements of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). In the long run, the industry will evolve in depth towards "functionalization + scenarioization": the demand for high-corrosion-resistant strands for offshore wind power and long-span conductors for flexible DC transmission is expected to maintain an annual growth rate of over 20%; the demonstration projects of carbon fiber composite core aluminum strands (ACCC) are advancing steadily. The mass production cost is expected to decrease by 40% by 2027, and the market penetration rate will increase rapidly. Industry experts point out that in the next five years, comprehensive enterprises with material R&D capabilities, full industrial chain integration advantages, and EPC general contracting service experience will occupy a dominant position, and product competition will shift from single performance indicators to full-life-cycle cost competition.