SMU Data and Models

Steel Mill Lead Times
Written by John Packard
October 29, 2017
We did a quick check of lead times at a number of domestic steel mills on Friday of this past week. This is what we learned:
Steel Dynamics Industries (SDI) – Butler, Ind.
HR – closed for November production
Pickled – closed for November production
CR – closed for November production
HRG – 11/20 (4 weeks)
CRG – Closed for November Production
The Techs (Coating Mills Owned by SDI)
All three locations (Metaltech, Galvtech, Nextech) – 12/4 (6 weeks)
Steel Dynamics Industries (SDI) – Columbus, Miss.
HR – closed for November production
Pickled – closed for November production
CR – closed for November production
HRG – 11/27 (5 weeks)
CRG – 11/27 (5 weeks)
NLMK USA
HR (Portage) – 11/27 (5 weeks)
CR (Farrell) – 12/4 (6 weeks)
Galv (Sharon Coatings) – 12/4 (6 weeks)
Big River Steel
HR – Closed to 2018 (contract tons for HR for 2018 closed)
CSN (Terre Haute)
Galv – November is closed
Nucor Berkeley
HR – 7-8 weeks
CR – January 2018 – 10-12 weeks
Galv – Late December/early January – 8-10 weeks
Nucor Hickman
HR – 5+ weeks
North Star BlueScope Steel
HR – December – 6-7 weeks
California Steel Industries (CSI)
Down for maintenance Nov. 22 through Dec. 4, 2017
HR – limited availability
CR – limited availability
Galv – Closed Until 2018
Ternium (Louisiana)
AZ – minor tons left for November, December book about half full
Wheeling Nisshin
Galv/AZ – Late December – (9-10 weeks)

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in SMU Data and Models

SMU Survey: Buyers’ Sentiment tumbles as caution increases
SMU’s Buyers’ Sentiment Indices resumed their downward trend this week, erasing the modest recovery seen two weeks ago.

Service centers: Mill orders down further in April
SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) declined for a second straight month in April after repeated gains at the start of the year, according to our latest service center inventories data.

SMU Survey: Mill lead times edge lower
Sheet and plate lead times declined across the board this week, according to buyers responding to the latest SMU market survey. While our lead time ranges were unchanged compared to mid-April levels, average production times for each steel product we measure have declined from they were two weeks ago.

SMU Survey: Most buyers say price negotiations back on the table
Domestic mills are largely negotiable on spot prices, according to the majority of steel buyers responding to our latest market survey.

SMU Scrap Survey: Current, Future Sentiment Indices log declines
However, in a month plagued by tariff and economic uncertainty, both current and near-term outlooks for our scrap survey respondents remained surprisingly optimistic.