SMU Data and Models
Lead Times: Waiting
Written by John Packard
June 7, 2015
Lead times have not shot out since the price increase announcements were made in early May. Hot rolled lead times were reported as being 3.5 weeks at the beginning of May and one month later HRC lead times averaged 3.66 weeks according to the results of our most recent flat rolled steel survey. Lead times on HRC are better than the 2.86 weeks average we saw back in mid-March but are below the 4.5 weeks we saw at this point in the year this time last year.
Cold rolled lead times are stalled at just over 5.5 weeks over the last three survey periods (early May, mid-May and now early June). CRC lead times are improved over the 4.64 weeks we saw in mid-March but we are still a week shorter this year than at this point in time last year.
Galvanized lead times are now at 6.0 weeks average based on our survey respondents from last week and are now one week longer than what we saw mid-March. As with HRC and CRC, galvanized lead times are still almost one week shorter than this time last year.
The one product that did show some signs of life is Galvalume were lead times are now at 6.5 weeks which is one half week better than what we saw in our two May surveys. It is also equal to what we measured AZ lead times as being one year ago.
With the anti-dumping trade suit having been filed on coated products after our survey had begun we will be very interested in seeing if lead times move off what we are currently seeing. Our expectation is that there should be some movement as buyers adjust to the new realities of world trade in the United States.
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.