The domestic steel mills did not announce any flat rolled steel price increases during the month of February. The last price increase announcement was made by USS/POSCO to their West Coast customers on January 30th. The last announcement on the East Coast was ArcelorMittal Dofasco which adjusted prices to take into account the lost value […]
NLMK USA sales for 2013 jumped 3.7 percent to 1.8 million tonnes of steel (1.98 million tons), up from 1.74 million tonnes (1.9 million tons) in 2012. Sales were driven by improved demand by service centers, pipe manufacturers, construction and automotive. Fourth quarter 2013 steel production at NLMK Indiana totaled 164,000 tonnes (180,776 tons), down […]
Flat rolled steel prices remained range bound over the past few days due to the Holidays and most buyers being out of the office. At the same time, U.S. Steel, NLMK USA, Nucor and ArcelorMittal USA have all come out with new base price guidance for new orders. The expectation from most buyers is for […]
On Monday, December 23, 2013 Nucor Sheet Mill Group advised their flat rolled customers that “due to higher raw material prices, the Nucor Sheet Mill Group will increase base pricing to the following levels, effective immediately:” Hot Rolled = $35.00/cwt ($700 net ton) Cold Rolled = $40.50/cwt ($810 per ton) Galvanized = $40.50/cwt ($810 per […]
In a letter to their customers dated today, Monday, December 23, 2013 – NLMK USA opened their February order book and advised their customers of their “minimum” new base price levels: Hot Rolled $35.00/cwt ($700 per ton)Cold Rolled $40.50/cwt ($810 per ton)Coated $40.50/cwt ($810 per ton)Specialty $25/ton increase on all high […]
With the announcements by NLMK USA, Nucor and ArcelorMittal USA on Monday, it is quite clear that the flat rolled steel mills are marching to the same drummer when it comes to carbon sheet pricing. All of the announcements made on Monday reflected the same base price levels: Hot Rolled = $35.00/cwt ($700 per ton) […]
The marketplace is buzzing as to why the mills east of the Rockies have not yet made a price increase announcement. Someone mentioned to me last week that ArcelorMittal could not push prices higher without attracting attention to themselves due to the announced purchase of ThyssenKrupp Steel USA. AM does not want to be accused […]
The month of September ended with a bang as NLMK USA became the first mill to announce new flat rolled price increases. As we moved into the first few days of October the other domestic mills followed the NLMK lead – although none of the mills followed the base price levels suggested in the NLMK […]
NLMK USA steel sales totaled 451,000 metric tons (497,141 net tons) for third quarter of 2013, an increase of 5.1 percent from second quarter and 8.7 percent from third quarter 2012. The increase was due mostly to greater US sales for hot rolled coil (HRC) and galvanized steel—275,000 tonnes (303,135 net tons) and 65,000 tonnes […]
The most recent survey of the flat rolled steel industry conducted by SMU began at 8 AM on Monday of this past week. Within a few hours of our start, NLMK and ArcelorMittal had both announced price increases and USS was busy telling their customers that they too would raise spot flat rolled pricing. As […]
Nucor was the last of the major domestic flat rolled mills to come out with new minimum base price levels on flat rolled steel products. Nucor chose to mimic those of ArcelorMittal and not NLMK or AK Steel whose announcements were slightly different than the rest of the industry. Nucor advised their customers through use […]
On Monday morning, NLMK USA announced new flat rolled steel base prices which are to become effective immediately. The minimum base prices announced are: Hot Rolled: $33.50/cwt base ($670 per ton plus extras) Cold Rolled: $38.50/cwt base ($770 per ton plus extras) Galvanized: $38.50/cwt base ($770 per ton plus extras) Specialty 1050: $48.00/cwt […]
ArcelorMittal USA came out with new flat rolled base prices shortly after those announced by NLMK USA. In an email to their customers, AM advised, “Effective immediately, the following minimum base prices are applicable to all future orders accepted by Arcelor Mittal USA LLC for delivery by December 31, 2013.” The base prices presented were […]
NLMK reported USA revenue of $314 million in the second quarter down from $362 million in Q1. The company noted lower demand from the US construction sector and general deterioration of market conditions in Europe and the USA along with industry oversupply. North American steel sales dropped to 432,000 tonnes (476,190 tons) from 473,000 tonnes […]
On a personal note I want to wish Joel Mazur much success in his new position as President of CENTRIA. For those of you who do not know this, Joel Mazur was president of Winner Steel while I was still an agent for the steel mill (Winner Steel is now called Sharon Coatings and is […]
Written by: John Packard I have been involved in the flat rolled steel industry since 1977. I cannot recall another time during those 36 years in the business when the domestic steel mills have announced two significant price increases within six weeks of one another – with the target minimum base price being exactly the […]
Steel buyers are scratching their heads while steel mills begin to line up announcing identical $50 per ton price increases on all flat rolled products. AK Steel was the first to follow U.S. Steel when they put out a press release advising their customers of their intention to raise spot prices by a minimum of […]
NLMK USA sales in 2012 grew 5 percent to 1.742 million tonnes (1.920 million net tons) from 1.658 million tonnes in 2011 (1.827 million net tons). Of the total, NLMK Indiana had a record hot rolled steel output of 725,000 tonnes (799,175 net tons), a 19 percent increase year-over-year. The balance of the hot rolled […]
U.S. Steel verbally began telling their U.S. customers of their intention of raising spot flat rolled prices by $50 per ton. Price increase letters were sent to their customers by Nucor and NLMK USA as they advised their customers of their intention of raising flat rolled spot prices by a minimum of $50 per ton. […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) has developed an exceptional basic steel training program covering the steel industry (flat and long products). Our two day workshop, which we call – Steel 101: Introduction to Steelmaking & Market Fundamentals – is meant to provide a comprehensive review of the way steel is made by the blast/BOF or electric […]