Gray cast iron characterized by flake graphite has certain strength, hardness, elastic modulus, shock absorption, wear resistance and thermal conductivity, especially excellent casting performance, good cutting performance and low casting cost. So far, it is still the most widely used cast iron in the world.

According to the statistical report on global casting output published by American modern casting magazine, the global casting output in 2016 was 104.4 million T, close to 104.1 million T in 2015. Global casting output increased by 0.4% from 2014 to 2015 and 0.2% from 2015 to 2016. In 2016, the global casting output grew at a low speed, with a growth rate of less than 0.5% for two consecutive years, showing a slow growth trend.

According to the statistics of China Foundry Association, China’s casting output in 2016 reached 47.2 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 5.4%, accounting for 45% of the total global output. According to the data provided by the Indian Foundry Association, India’s casting output in 2016 was 11.35 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 5.4%, and the development speed exceeded that of the United States. Due to the decline of heavy cast iron industry such as agricultural machinery, oil exploitation and mining machinery, the casting output of the United States in 2015 and 2016 was lower than that in 2014. In 2018, casting production in the United States is expected to increase by 2.8% and casting sales revenue will increase by 4.7%.