1. China – World’s Largest Producer of Wear-Resistant Steel Plates (Standard GB/T 24186)

1.1 Manufacturers & Production Status

China accounts for over 45% of global wear-resistant steel plate output. Core steel mills include:

• Wuyang Iron and Steel (Wugang): Benchmark domestic producer and original manufacturer of the NM series, covering full thickness range of 6–150 mm heavy plates.
• Baoshan Iron and Steel (Baosteel): B-HARD series, specialized in thin plates for construction machinery.
• Wuhan Iron and Steel, Nanjing Iron and Steel, Anshan Iron and Steel, Shagang, Xinsteel: Mass production of NM360–NM500 grades.
• Specialized manufacturers: Produce KN-series composite wear-resistant plates and Mn13 high-manganese steel plates.

Advantages: Cost-effective, fast delivery, complete thickness and width specifications. Disadvantages: Slightly inferior to Northern European brands in toughness and hardness uniformity for ultra-high-end 600HB grades.

1.2 Main Grades

1. General NM series (nationwide unified standard across domestic steel mills) NM360, NM400, NM450, NM500, NM550, NM600
2. Mill proprietary brands

• Baosteel: B-HARD360, B-HARD400, B-HARD450, B-HARD500
• Ansteel: AM360, AM400, AM450
• Wugang/Nansteel: NR360, NR400

3. High-manganese austenitic wear plates (for heavy impact abrasion): Mn13, Mn17Cr2
4. Composite surfacing wear plates: KN55, KN60, KN63 (3–5 times longer service life than conventional wear plates under severe abrasion)

2. Sweden SSAB – Global Leader of High-End Wear Plates (≈35% Global Market Share)

Production Overview

Headquartered in Stockholm, SSAB operates three production bases in Sweden, Finland and the United States. Its flagship brand Hardox is world-renowned. Manufactured via air-quenching technology, Hardox plates feature uniform hardness through the full cross-section with an optimal balance of hardness and toughness, making them the premium choice for heavy mining and construction machinery, though at a premium price.

Hardox® Grades

• Hardox400, Hardox450, Hardox500, Hardox500 Tuf (high impact toughness)
• Hardox550, Hardox600, Hardox HiTuf (low-temperature impact resistance)
• Hardox HiAce (integrated wear, corrosion and heat resistance)
• Hardox Extreme (700HB ultra-hard grade, for cutting tools and crusher hammers) Light-duty auxiliary grades: SB45, SB50

3. Finland RAEX (SSAB Northern European Subsidiary)

Adopting the same metallurgical technology as SSAB, RAEX targets mid-end heavy industry markets in Europe with better cost performance than Hardox. Grades: RAEX300, RAEX400, RAEX450, RAEX500

4. Germany – Two Leading Domestic Suppliers for European Market

4.1 ThyssenKrupp XAR Series

Production Features

Mass-produced since the 1960s with Cr-Mo alloy composition, available in 4–100 mm thickness. Complete heat-resistant grades make it the preferred material for high-temperature abrasion equipment in European cement plants and steel mills. Grades: XAR300, XAR360, XAR400, XAR450, XAR500, XAR600 Special variants: XAR400W (heat-resistant), XRE series (high toughness)

4.2 Dillinger Dillidur

Outstanding heavy plate capacity with maximum thickness up to 150 mm, ideal for large crushers and lining plates of heavy mining trucks. Grades: DILLIDUR400V, DILLIDUR450V, DILLIDUR500V, DILLIDUR550V, DILLIDUR IMPACT (ultra-high impact resistance)

5. France ArcelorMittal Industeel Creusabro

Production Features

Unique work-hardening wear steel: Moderate as-delivered hardness, while impact and friction raise surface hardness by an extra 70HB automatically. Perfect for sand and stone processing under cyclic impact abrasion.

Grades

1. Creusabro4800 (base grade, 400–470HB)
2. Creusabro8000 (premium grade, 50% longer service life than standard 500HB plates)
3. Creusabro Dual, Creusabro Superten, Creusabro M General auxiliary grades: FORA400, FORA500

6. Belgium QUARD (ArcelorMittal)

Mid-thickness wear plates widely used in European construction machinery and dump trucks. Grades: QUARD400, QUARD450, QUARD500

7. Japan – JFE & Nippon Steel, Premium Asia-Pacific Suppliers

7.1 JFE Steel EVERHARD (JFE-EH)

Production Overview

Manufactured via TMCP thermomechanical controlled rolling and cooling, with excellent low-temperature toughness stable at -40°C. Specified original equipment material for excavators and loaders manufactured in Japan and South Korea. Grades: JFE-EH360, EH400, EH450, EH500, JFE-EH500EZ (optimized weldability variant)

7.2 Nippon Steel NSSMC WEL-HARD

Weldability-optimized grades for lightweight construction machinery Grades: WEL-HARD400, WEL-HARD500

8. United States – ASTM Standard AR Series, North American Universal Grade

Manufacturers

Nippon Steel US plant, North Shore Wearalloy, Leeco Steel. Water-quenched production for moderate cost, extensively applied in mining and sanitation equipment.

Universal Grades (AR = Abrasion Resistant, industry general term)

AR360, AR400, AR450, AR500, AR600 Proprietary brand: Wearalloy400 / Wearalloy500

9. Australia Bisplate – Primary Supplier for Oceania Mining

Abundant mineral resources drive local wear plate production for mining and port conveying equipment. Wide-format plates up to 4000 mm in width are a core advantage. Grades: Bisplate400, Bisplate450, Bisplate500

Global Wear Plate Hardness Cross-Reference Table

Average Brinell Hardness HBW	China NM Series	Sweden Hardox	Germany XAR	Japan JFE-EH	US AR Series
360	NM360	—	XAR360	EH360	AR360
400	NM400	Hardox400	XAR400	EH400	AR400
450	NM450	Hardox450	XAR450	EH450	AR450
500	NM500	Hardox500	XAR500	EH500	AR500
600	NM600	Hardox600	XAR600	—	AR600