Market Prices for Mainstream Grades
Standard H13 (4Cr5MoSiV1) Hot-Work Die Steel: Mainstream market prices range from 5.8 to 24 RMB/kg. Bulk purchase prices for standard hot-rolled specifications from major manufacturers like Baosteel are around 8,100 RMB/tonne, while prices for thin-gauge materials from smaller mills can be as low as 3,950 RMB/tonne.
High-Performance Imported/Premium Grades: Prices for premium hot-work die steels like DIEVAR are around 12 RMB/kg; Great Wall Special Steel's 1.2344 grade is approximately 22 RMB/kg; and special grades like 4Cr3Mo3SiV can reach 23.5 RMB/kg.
Scrap Hot-Work Die Steel: In August, the recycling price (excluding tax) in East and North China was approximately 2,280–2,380 RMB/tonne-only about one-third the price of new material.
Key Factors Influencing Price
Origin and Manufacturing Process: Products of the same grade made via the electroslag remelting (ESR) process cost 3–5 RMB/kg more than standard hot-rolled products; imported grades are generally more than 50% more expensive than domestic equivalents of the same specification.
Specifications and Form: Unit prices for large forged blocks and precision-ground plates are significantly higher than those for standard round bars or thin-gauge materials; customized processing incurs additional costs.
Purchase Volume: Unit prices for small-batch retail orders are higher, whereas bulk purchases (at the tonne level or above) can secure lower ex-factory wholesale prices.
