SMU Data and Models
Steel Mill Lead Times: Still Slightly Shorter
Written by Tim Triplett
October 10, 2019
Mill lead times for all flat rolled sheet products continued to see slight shortening over the past month. The average lead time for hot rolled is now down to nearly three and a half weeks, cold rolled is less than five and a half weeks and coated steels are less than six and a half weeks. Plate lead times remain around four weeks, according to data gathered this week by Steel Market Update.
Lead times for steel delivery are a measure of demand at the mill level. The shorter the lead time, the less busy the mills, and the more likely they are to discount prices.
Hot rolled lead times now average 3.67 weeks, shortened from 3.97 weeks at this time last month. The average cold rolled lead time has dipped to 5.44 weeks from 5.65 weeks in early September. The average lead time for galvanized has shortened to 6.33 from 6.57 weeks, while the lead time for spot orders of Galvalume is down to 6.30 weeks. Lead times for spot orders of plate steel have also declined to an average of 4.10 weeks. All lead times are shorter than they were at this time last year.
Note: These lead times are based on the average from manufacturers and steel service centers who participated in this week’s SMU market trends analysis. Our lead times do not predict what any individual may get from any specific mill supplier. Look to your mill rep for actual lead times. Our lead times are meant only to identify trends and changes in the marketplace. To see an interactive history of our Steel Mill Lead Times data, visit our website here.
Tim Triplett
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