Steel Mill Lead Times Soften for First Time in Three Months

Steel Market Update’s latest check of the market indicates steel mill lead times are sideways to down for sheet and plate products, decreasing by an average of 0.4 weeks compared to two weeks prior. This is the first time lead times have declined on average since late January. Hot rolled, cold rolled, and galvanized lead times have eased to levels seen 4-6 weeks ago. Galvalume lead times are relatively unchanged from mid April, while plate lead times shortened but remain at the second-highest rate of the year.

Buyers surveyed this week reported mill lead times ranging from 4-8 weeks for hot rolled, 5-9 weeks for cold rolled, 5-10 weeks for galvanized, 8-11 weeks for Galvalume, and 5-8 weeks for plate.

Brett Linton

Brett Linton is a digital operations analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.