[ Tubes, Pipes, Fittings ]
[ Tubes, Pipes, Fittings ]
Outlook Tubes, pipes & fittings( TPF) is a valueadded sector par excellence, taking a primary product and fashioning it into something of greater value. One would therefore expect it to be especially vulnerable to the turbulence that prevails today: supply-chain disruptions, tariffs and geopolitical uncertainties, which are part of the current trend away from globalism and towards security and“ resilience”. However, stainless TPF has performed better than one might expect, and a mood of guarded optimism prevails. The relatively optimistic outlook can probably be credited to the crucial role played by stainless tubes and pipes in several fast-growing, rapidly changing or relatively new industries. The energy transition and nuclear renaissance are important factors, as are emerging hightech industries such as semiconductors and data centres. The stainless tubes & pipes sector is projected to grow by 4.6 % per year between 2025 and 2033, with the Asia-Pacific region as the main market.( 1) Growth is expected to be somewhat stronger in the seamless tubes and pipes sector, at 4.9 % between 2025 and 2033( 2) or 5.8 % between 2025 and 2030( 3). To meet higher performance demands in critical, aggressive conditions, the industry is pivoting from welded towards seamless tubes and pipes. High-precision seamless tubes have improved efficiency and reduced waste and energy consumption in critical applications in the energy, process and aerospace industries.
Investments Several companies are therefore investing in new seamless pipe and tube
Piping in the steam turbine of a power plant.
production lines: Sun Mark Stainless and Scoda in India, Tubacex( Central Asia’ s first seamless pipe plant, in Kazakhstan), Cybersteel in Russia, Zhejiang Jiuli Hi- Tech Metals in China, Maruichi Stainless Tube in Japan, Centravis in Ukraine and Outokumpu in Finland. All these investments are part of a broader trend towards capacity expansion and production diversification. In addition to its investments in seamless pipe, Maruichi will build two new facilities in Shimonoseki to capitalise on growth in semiconductors and decarbonisation( hydrogen) and is also constructing a new welded pipe plant. Centravis, as well as investing in extrusion, has introduced improved austenitic grades Balev 304L ® and Balev 316L ® and a duplex grade, Nikopolium( NP 2205 / NP 2507), intended for OCTG,
UNS N08825 butt weld fittings, manufactured at the in-house production site of Raccortubi, Tecninox Srl.
hydrogen, offshore, petrochemical and low-carbon energy applications. Rhinox launched a new stainless plant in Haryana, India, a fully automated production line that includes a stainless tube milling facility. Germany’ s Butting has started up production at its new facility in Loxley, Alabama, producing vacuum-insulated pipes used in LNG and hydrogen transfer, semiconductor manufacturing and other industries.
Markets Many new grades and products are being developed to cater for the aggressive conditions found in the chemical and petrochemical industries. This is why Alleima developed two new super duplex grades: SAF™ 3006, a grade providing high corrosion resistance across several applications; and SAF™ 2906, used in the urea industry for its excellent corrosion resistance in low-oxygen carbamate solutions. Cryogenics are an important growth area, whether for hydrogen production or transport. Hydrogen is a fast-growing industry( 5.9 % per year growth between 2026 and 2035, according to Global Market Insights Inc.). In hydrogen transport and storage, the gas is compressed at a low temperature, requiring coldworked, high-strength 316 stainlesssteel tubing capable of withstanding high pressure. Of these, Maruichi Stainless and Centravis are both producers. The latter has supplied seamless pipes for handling of both hydrogen and compressed natural gas, pipes for the furnaces of a hydrogen
16 Stainless Steel World March 2026 www. stainless-steel-world. net