SKD11 tool steel, equivalent to international grades such as D2 (AISI) and 1.2379 (DIN), is a high-carbon, high-chromium cold work tool steel widely used in die making, metal stamping, and plastic molding industries. With its excellent wear resistance, high hardness after heat treatment, and dimensional stability, SKD11 has become a critical material for Korean manufacturers in automotive, electronics, and precision parts production.
In South Korea, while some SKD11 is produced domestically by local steelmakers, a large proportion still comes from imports to meet specific quality requirements, broader specifications, and competitive pricing needs.
Main Sources of SKD11 Imports for South Korea
From my experience, South Korea sources its SKD11 tool steel imports from a few key countries. SKD11 is a type of cold-work tool steel, similar to AISI D2. I find that these import sources often mirror the country’s general steel import patterns.
Primary Suppliers of SKD11 to Korea
China
China is currently one of the largest exporters of SKD11 tool steel to South Korea. Its advantages lie in mass production capacity, fast delivery, and competitive pricing. Many Chinese mills supply SKD11 in both annealed and pre-hardened conditions, covering a wide range of sizes including round bars, flat bars, and plates.
Europe (Germany & Austria)
Germany’s 1.2379 and Austria’s K110 equivalents are popular among Korean importers who seek consistent European quality. These imports are generally used in high-end mold making and heavy-duty die manufacturing.
Other Regional Sources
Some Korean importers also purchase SKD11 equivalents from Sweden or India for specific production needs, especially when looking for alternative supply during global price fluctuations.
Product Categories Linked to SKD11 Imports
Flat products (plates, flats, sheets):
- China: 61% share (2017)
- Japan: 33% share (2017)
Long products (bars, sections):
- China: 71% share (2017)
- Japan: 21% share (2017)
Why I Think South Korea Imports Steel Instead of Making It All at Home
From my experience, South Korea keeps buying tool steel like SKD11 from other countries. This isn’t a simple choice. It is a mix of money, technology, and government rules.
- Wider size range & special specifications not always available locally.
- Competitive pricing from overseas suppliers, especially for bulk orders.
- Specialty grades & heat treatment options tailored to unique manufacturing needs.
- Diversified supply chain to reduce risks from domestic production limits.
FCS Tool Steel’s Advantages in Exporting SKD11 to South Korea
If you are a Korean wholesaler, mold maker, or industrial distributor looking for SKD11, I believe FCS Tool Steel is your best choice. FCS Factory has obvious advantages when exporting to South Korea. Based on my experience, this means you get reliable products and flexible business terms.
Strong Export History and Local Knowledge
- We have a proven history of exporting SKD11, D2 (AISI), and 1.2379 (DIN) tool steels to South Korea and other countries.
- Our experience reduces your risk because we understand Korean import rules, shipping methods, and customer needs.
- We list SKD11 among our main export grades that we ship to South Korea, Thailand, Russia, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
Fast Delivery: Our Capacity, Inventory, and Integrated Production
- We produce 25,000 tons of tool and die steel annually and keep about 2,000 tons in our inventory, ready for shipment.
- We control the entire process, from refining and forging to annealing, heat treatment, and finishing. This control allows us to meet the quick delivery times that our Korean buyers demand.
- Because we handle everything in-house, we ensure a quick turnaround for standard SKD11 grades and can quickly handle urgent orders.
Meeting Multiple Standards with Custom Options
- We manufacture SKD11 to comply with JIS (Japan), DIN (Germany 1.2379), ASTM (U.S. D2), and GB (China) standards.
- We can customize the steel’s chemical makeup and mechanical properties to match your specific drawings, certificates, or technical agreements.
- I find this ability to meet multiple standards makes things easier for you. It simplifies sourcing and using our steel in tools designed for different global standards, which is common in Korean OEM and ODM workshops.
A Good Fit for the Korean Market
- I recommend our SKD11 for cold work tooling. This includes precision stamping dies, cold heading dies, shearing tools, thread rolling dies, and plastic molds.
- When properly heat-treated, our SKD11 reaches 60–62 HRC. This hardness provides the wear resistance and toughness needed for Korea’s electronics metal shells, stainless punching, and plastic molding.
- Our customers use it for tools like stainless plate punching dies, deep-drawing dies for mobile phone shells, thermoset plastic molds, and hardwood cutting tools.
Competitive Wholesale Prices and Flexible Sourcing
- We market our SKD11 through wholesale channels. For our Korean customers, we offer negotiable minimum order quantities, prices, and lead times in our B2B listings.
- We compete with other suppliers, which helps you, as a Korean distributor, get better prices and set up vendor-managed inventory (VMI) programs.
Technical and Service Support for You
- We offer our Korean customers full technical support. We can help you pick the right grade, fix application issues, and adjust to engineering changes. I know this is ideal for mold makers in fast-moving industries.
- Our dedicated service team for exporters improves communication, speeds up order processing, and understands the specific needs of Korean die shops.
Conclusion: My View on Why South Korea Imports High-Grade Tool Steels
South Korea’s SKD11 tool steel imports come mainly from Japan, China, and Europe, with supplementary supply from other regions. This diversified sourcing ensures Korean manufacturers can access the quality and specifications they need at the right price.
FCS Tool Steel stands out as a dependable export partner, offering Korean buyers a stable, cost-effective, and high-quality SKD11 supply chain — helping them stay competitive in the fast-paced tool steel market.