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SBQ (special bar quality steel)
What it is
Special Bar Quality steel is high-cleanliness alloy long steel made to tight chemistry and inclusion limits, used for forged and machined engineering components - gears, shafts, crankshafts, bearings and axles
It sits between commodity long steel and speciality alloy, and is qualified by the end customer rather than sold on grade alone
Impact on industries
- Serves the auto, bearing and engineering supply chains where component approval creates durable customer relationships
- Realisation and margin exceed commodity bar, since cleanliness and consistency are the product rather than the tonnage
- Demand tracks the automotive cycle closely, and powertrain electrification removes some of the highest-value forged components
- Requires ladle metallurgy, vacuum degassing and inspection capability that ordinary rolling mills lack