Shazhou County, the predecessor of Shagang, was in great need of steel during the founding of the People's Republic of China, so it squeezed out some funds from the sideline income of the factory and borrowed a little money to transform a workshop of the cotton gin into a steel rolling workshop, named Shazhou County Iron and Steel Plant (Shagang Group was called "Shagang Plant" by the locals), which is also the origin of Shagang's name.
1986 shazhou county was established as zhangjiagang city with the approval of the State Council, and changed its name to zhangjiagang iron and steel plant.
1992, officially renamed Jiangsu Shagang Group. 1996, Jiangsu Shagang Group was reorganized into Jiangsu Shagang Group Co., Ltd.