SMU Data and Models
Steel Mill Flat Rolled Lead Times Remain Short
Written by John Packard
March 8, 2015
Lead times on flat rolled products remained less than stellar based on the results of our last flat rolled steel market analysis conducted this past week. The respondents to our steel survey pegged hot rolled lead times as averaging 2.92 weeks, statistically unchanged from what we saw as an average during the middle of February. Hot rolled lead times continue to be 1 week shorter than what we were seeing at the beginning of March 2014. As you can see by the graphic below, hot rolled lead times peaked at 5.5 weeks back in April 2014 and have been weakening (getting shorter) ever since.
Cold rolled lead times, much like hot rolled, also remained short at 4.70 weeks. Over the past two months cold rolled lead times have been stuck at just below 5 weeks. One year ago CRC lead times were at 6.08 weeks.
Galvanized lead times have been hovering around 5 weeks over the past couple of months. One year ago GI lead times were closer to 6 weeks (5.88 weeks).
The only flat rolled item to see lead times extend from where they were reported two weeks ago was Galvalume which went to 5.75 weeks from 5.11 weeks. Galvalume lead times one year ago averaged 6.82 weeks.
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in SMU Data and Models
May service center shipments and inventories report
Flat rolled = 57.1 shipping days of supply Plate = 55.7 shipping days of supply Flat rolled US service centers reined in flat roll supply in May, coinciding with declining shipments. At the end of May, service centers carried 57.1 shipping days of supply, according to adjusted SMU data. That’s down slightly from 57.6 shipping […]
Survey says: Market hit with another blast of tariff whiplash
If you’re feeling a sudden jerk and a case of tariff whiplash coming on, you’re not alone.
SMU flat-rolled market survey results now available
SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the pricing and analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for “latest survey results.” Past survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, or if […]
SMU Survey: Steel Buyers’ Sentiment sinks to near pandemic levels
SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices moved in opposing directions this week. Our Current Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Index sharply fell to one of the lowest levels recorded in five years, while Future Buyers’ Sentiment marginally improved.
SMU Survey: Mill lead times tick higher after late-May lows
All five of the averages for sheet and plate mill lead times tracked by SMU extended moderately this week, according to buyers responding to our latest market survey.