Against the backdrop of continuous upgrading in global manufacturing, shipbuilding, automotive, and heavy machinery industries, metal abrasives — key consumables in surface treatment and cleaning processes — are experiencing growing market demand. Products such as steel shot, steel grit, and chilled iron grit are widely used in containers, ships, automobiles, aerospace, machinery manufacturing, and other fields, offering low dust pollution, high visibility, and significant work efficiency. According to a survey by Global Info Research, global metal abrasives revenue was approximately USD 6.174 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 8.695 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% from 2025 to 2031.

China's Steel Shot and Steel Grit Industry Has Formed a World-Leading Production Capacity

China's steel grit and steel shot industry is at a new stage of high-quality development. According to statistics from the China Abrasives Association, domestic production of steel grit and steel shot exceeded 1.2 million tonnes from January to August 2025, up 9.5% year-on-year, with exports accounting for 55% of the global share. Steel shot, as a core consumable in surface treatment, has seen annual demand exceed 3.8 million tonnes, while the domestic metal abrasives market grew 8.7% year-on-year. Industrial clusters, notably in Shandong Province, offer clear advantages, forming a complete industrial chain from raw material supply to finished product manufacturing. Shandong Kaitai Group has an annual capacity of over 600,000 tonnes, exporting products to more than 80 countries and regions worldwide, with its overseas market share ranking among the highest in the domestic industry.

Technological Innovation and Green Transition Build Core Competitive Advantages

China's metal abrasives industry is accelerating its transformation from "price‑driven" to "technology‑driven". Shandong Kaitai's self‑developed centrifugal atomization shot‑making technology and proprietary alloy formulations have improved the wear resistance of steel shot by 30% over the industry average, kept the breakage resistance rate below 2.5%, and extended the service life by more than 20%. With the deepening of the "dual carbon" goals, the *Green Abrasives Evaluation Standard* was officially implemented in 2025. Nationwide, 23 steel grit and steel shot enterprises have been certified as national green factories, and the industry's average carbon emissions have fallen by 42% compared to 2020. Low‑carbon short processes and abrasive recycling are becoming the new industry mainstream.

China's Role on the Global Stage

Against a backdrop of rapid expansion in new energy vehicle capacity and surging demand in wind power, photovoltaics, and other sectors, China's steel shot and steel grit industry — leveraging its three core strengths of production scale, technological innovation, and green manufacturing — is fully undertaking global demand for high‑end abrasives. In the first half of 2025, China's export value of steel grit and steel shot reached USD 860 million, with high‑tech products accounting for more than 40% for the first time. As infrastructure construction accelerates in countries along the Belt and Road, China's steel shot and steel grit industry will contribute even more to the transformation and upgrading of the global manufacturing industry.

> Data sources: Global Info Research, China Abrasives Association, General Administration of Customs, and other public materials.