Gallianz New Materials Breaks Through “Rolling Instead of Forging” Bottleneck, Achieving Flexible Production of Small-Weight Special Stainless Steel Coils

Breaking the established paradigm of continuous-casting mass production, offering a new choice of key materials for high-end manufacturing

Recently, Gallianz（Anhui）New Materials Co., Ltd. achieved a major technological breakthrough in the field of special alloy processing—successfully applying the "rolling instead of forging" process to realize flexible production and commercial supply of small-weight coils of special stainless steels such as S30815 (253MA) and S31254 (254SMo). This innovation breaks the industry’s traditional reliance on large‑scale continuous‑casting batch production, providing a more efficient and economical material solution for high‑end equipment manufacturing.

Rolling instead of forging: solving the "small‑batch, high‑precision" challenge of special alloys

For a long time, special stainless steels like S30815 (253MA) and S31254 (254SMo) have been extremely difficult to produce due to their high alloy content, narrow hot‑working temperature windows, and high deformation resistance. Under traditional approaches, these materials mainly depend on continuous‑casting slabs for large‑batch production, requiring large single‑charge inputs and long production cycles, which makes it hard to meet market demands for small batches, diverse specifications, and rapid delivery.

Through continuous technical research and production‑line modifications, Gallianz has innovatively applied the "rolling instead of forging" process to the production of special stainless steel coils. Compared with conventional forging or large‑scale continuous‑casting rolling, the rolling‑instead‑of‑forging process uses reversible rolling, which is particularly suitable for special alloys that have narrow hot‑working temperature ranges, small batch sizes, and a wide variety of feedstock. This process allows flexible adjustment of product specifications and batch sizes according to order requirements, enabling customized production of small‑weight coils and significantly improving the flexibility of the production line.

253MA and 254SMo: two special stainless steels achieve coil‑based breakthrough

253MA (UNS S30815) is a heat‑resistant austenitic stainless steel micro‑alloyed with nitrogen and rare‑earth elements. It offers high creep strength and excellent oxidation resistance in the temperature range of 850°C to 1100°C, with oxidation resistance up to 1150°C—superior to that of 310 and 309 stainless steels. The material is widely used in industrial furnace equipment, sintering plants, blast furnace installations, heat‑treatment furnaces, and other high‑temperature applications.

254SMo (UNS S31254) is a high‑alloy super‑austenitic stainless steel characterized by high molybdenum and nitrogen content, specifically designed for high‑chloride corrosive environments. It provides exceptional resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion, making it irreplaceable in seawater treatment, petrochemicals, flue‑gas desulfurization, and other aggressive service conditions.

Gallianz has successfully produced coils of both materials using the rolling‑instead‑of‑forging method, filling a domestic gap in the flexible production of small‑weight special stainless steel coils and offering downstream users more precise material matching options.

Full‑industry‑chain layout supports process innovation

Founded in 2017 and located in the High‑tech Industrial Concentration Zone of Yu'an District, Lu'an City, Anhui Province, Gallianz New Materials is a national high‑tech enterprise specializing in the R&D, production, and sales of nickel‑based alloys, high‑temperature alloys, corrosion‑resistant alloys, and metal composite materials. It is also a national‑level "Little Giant" enterprise (specialized and sophisticated SME). The company has built a complete industrial chain covering "special melting + rolling and processing + composite material manufacturing," enabling full‑process in‑house production from raw materials to finished products.

The successful application of the "rolling instead of forging" process is a vivid demonstration of Gallianz’s full‑industry‑chain advantages. Relying on its own melting, electroslag remelting, and other processes to produce special‑metallurgy slabs, the company then performs precision rolling through a wide‑plate hot rolling mill, followed by heat treatment and annealing‑pickling lines to complete the finished products. Through technical upgrades such as adding a reheating furnace for high‑temperature alloys and optimizing rolling parameters, the production line’s gross profit margin has been significantly improved.

Industry significance: breaking the mass‑production paradigm and empowering high‑end manufacturing

Gallianz’s breakthrough in producing small‑weight special stainless steel coils via "rolling instead of forging" carries multiple implications for the industry.

First, it breaks the traditional model that continuous‑casting requires large‑scale production. Conventional continuous‑casting demands substantial input and long lead times, making it difficult to accommodate small‑batch, multi‑variety market needs. Gallianz’s rolling‑instead‑of‑forging process enables flexible scheduling and precise production, opening a new pathway for the supply of special alloy materials in small weights and multiple specifications.

Second, it lowers the threshold for accessing high‑end materials. In the past, users requiring small quantities of 253MA or 254SMo often faced procurement difficulties or prohibitive costs. Now, through the rolling‑instead‑of‑forging process, customers can purchase coils on demand, substantially reducing inventory pressure and capital occupation.

Third, it promotes the domestic substitution of critical materials. Gallianz’s products have successfully entered the supply chains of key national industries and major projects, including nuclear power, petrochemicals, seawater desalination, and aerospace, with some products replacing imports. In 2025, the company achieved an output value of RMB 500 million, with products exported to Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and other international markets.

Looking ahead

From this new starting point, Anhui Gallianz New Materials Co., Ltd. plans to further expand the application scope of the "rolling instead of forging" process, aiming for higher‑end fields such as aviation‑ and nuclear‑grade ultra‑clean materials. The company targets an output value of RMB 1 billion in 2026. With the continued improvement of its full industrial chain—"special melting – rolling and processing – composite material manufacturing"—Gallianz is poised to secure a more significant position in the global special‑alloy materials sector, contributing more high‑end material strength to "Made in China."

Gallianz New Materials is now recruiting global agents for its small‑quantity special stainless steel grades. Interested parties may contact via email: lv@gallianz.com.cn