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    June 7, 2015

    Lead Times: Waiting

    Written by John Packard

    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.

    John Packard

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