Steel Mill Lead Times Ease Again, Room to Move Lower?

Steel Market Update’s latest market check revealed that steel mill lead times continue to inch down for sheet and plate products as they move closer to historical norms. On average, lead times declined by 0.2 weeks compared to our early June figures and are down 0.4 weeks compared to one month ago. Lead times over the past two weeks have been roughly in line with what we were seeing in the early weeks of 2022.

Buyers surveyed this week reported mill lead times ranging from 3-6 weeks for hot rolled, 4-9 weeks for cold rolled, 4-9 weeks for galvanized, 4-8 weeks for Galvalume, and 4-7 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.