Analysis
June 6, 2023
On Tuesday, Ford Motor Co. announced a new head to lead its global supply chain operations, while also detailing other changes to its executive team.
Liz Door will be the automaker’s new chief supply chain officer beginning on June 12. She will be taking on responsibilities that were held since September on an interim basis by CFO John Lawler, to whom she’ll report, Ford said.
Strong demand and heightened import barriers under the current 50% Section 232 tariff regime have tightened the plate market. Still, fall outages are adding further pressure to already limited supply.
The scrap market for October is looking for direction as some participants on both sides of the furnace are indicating scrap prices are poised for an increase.
SMU’s latest Flat-Rolled Steel Buyers Survey shows that in a tight US market marked by long lead times, low inventories, and rising prices, foreign products continue to gain the interest of domestic buyers.
Domestic raw steel output fell to a six-month low last week after hitting a multi-year high one week earlier, according to the latest American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) figures.
The domestic plate market is showing few signs of relief for steel buyers. Lead times are stretching well beyond seasonal norms, spot availability has all but evaporated, and mills are drawing hard lines on contract volumes heading into 2027 negotiations.