Steel Products

Final Thoughts

January 25, 2013

A quick reminder that our Steel 101 workshop registration is open – details about our program, our instructors, and the tour of Severstal Columbus which is part of the program and discount details for SMU member companies are on our website: www.SteelMarketUpdate.com – or you are welcome to contact our office with any questions you might have: 800-432-3475 or info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. The dates on the upcoming Steel 101 workshop are February 27 & 28, 2013.

I will be at the AIIS West Coast dinner this evening (Thursday) in Long Beach, California. On Monday and part of Tuesday I anticipate being at ASHRAE – AHRI Expo in Dallas, Texas. I expect to be back in my office by Thursday of next week.

We included a couple of articles about Europe as we have been getting some questions regarding the situation there.

Foreign prices are going higher. I am hearing from a number of my sources that prices in China are up, prices for foreign in Houston are moving higher and many foreign offers are on par with pre-announcement domestic prices. Higher foreign prices, if coupled with less imports, will help support domestic price increases.

Does this mean these price increase announcements will stick? Too early to tell – watch mill order books and listen to your mill sales people. Are they holding the line or willing to negotiate?

As always your business is truly appreciated.