LÊ TÙNG CONSTRUCTION PERSPECTIVE
The event of Vietnam entering the Top 10 largest steel producing nations globally for the first time, as announced by Worldsteel, is a great source of pride for the country’s heavy industry. From the technical perspective of Lê Tùng Construction – a leading contractor for pre-engineered steel structures – the availability of high-quality domestic steel supply, diverse in structural steel shapes and high-strength steel plates, is the core foundation that helps reduce construction costs for factories, accelerate project progress, and elevate Vietnam’s industrial projects.
List of the world’s largest steel-producing countries – Source: Worldsteel
Specifically, in April 2026, Worldsteel estimated Vietnam’s crude steel (steel billet) production at 2.1 million tons, an increase of 4% compared to the same period last year. With this output, Vietnam surpassed Italy to enter the Top 10 largest steel industrial nations. Cumulatively for the first four months of the year, Vietnam produced 8.5 million tons of crude steel, up 8.4% compared to the same period in 2025.
Steel billet production and semi-finished steel fabrication and assembly process at a modern manufacturing plant.
Iran, a country in the Top 10 from February 2026 onwards, fell to 12th place with 1.8 million tons. This was due to two Iranian steel plants, Khuzestan and Mobarakeh, being bombed by Israel, paralyzing Iran’s steel industry.
Given the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, the position of a Top 10 steel producing power for the entire year 2026 will belong to Vietnam.
New position of Vietnam’s steel industry on the global production map
According to the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA), the steel industry has developed remarkably in both production scale and product variety. In 2000, steel mills primarily had to import billets from abroad to roll construction steel for the market.
However, from 2010 until now, Vietnam’s steel industry has made outstanding strides in self-sufficiency, producing a full range of steel types to meet all needs of the economy, serving mechanical manufacturing, shipbuilding, energy (wind power, oil rigs, etc.) to national defense industries.
In 2025, production of crude steel reached a record high in the last five years, surpassing the previous 2020 mark of 24.7 million tons, an increase of 12% compared to the same period in 2024. Consumption reached 24.1 million tons, up 12.9% compared to the same period, of which exports reached 3.15 million tons, up 12.8% compared to the same period in 2024.
This shows the modern trend of Vietnam’s steel industry, with synchronized closed-loop metallurgical complexes, from upstream to downstream. Among them, the Hòa Phát Dung Quất Iron and Steel Complex has produced difficult, high-quality steel types such as mechanical manufacturing steel, tire cord steel, welding wire steel, spring steel, screws, crane steel, pre-stressed steel, especially high-speed railway rail steel, and structural steel.
Opportunities to promote technical infrastructure construction and pre-engineered factory construction
In 2023, Vietnam ranked 12th globally in crude steel production with an output of 20 million tons. In 2025, Vietnam recorded crude steel output of 24.6 million tons, the largest in Southeast Asia, ranking Top 11 globally. This result was achieved thanks to the contribution of many large enterprises.
For example, Hòa Phát produced 11 million tons, accounting for 44.7%. Followed by enterprises belonging to Vietnam Steel Corporation (Vnsteel), Formosa… In 2026, Hòa Phát Group’s crude steel output is expected to exceed 14 million tons, an increase of 30% compared to 2025, contributing to consolidating Vietnam’s position as a Top 10 leading steel producing power globally.
Vietnam’s steel industry in 2026 is forecast to grow strongly by 8-10%, with finished steel production during this period expected to reach 33-34.5 million tons, and domestic steel consumption demand estimated at about 26 million tons.
VinMetal cooperates with Primetals Technologies – the world’s leading metallurgical technology group – to implement a large-scale integrated steel production complex in Hà Tĩnh.
Original article source: Tuổi Trẻ
