SMU survey: Steel mill lead times remain short

Steel mill lead times remained stable this week for both sheet and plate products, according to buyers responding to our latest market survey. We saw a slight upward movement in some products compared to early September, but nothing substantial enough to signal a shift in the market.

Lead times for all products have marginally declined compared to one month ago. For sheet products, hot-rolled steel lead times continue to hover around five weeks on average, while tandem product lead times are all hovering around seven weeks. Plate lead times have been in the four-week ballpark since mid-July and remain near multi-year lows.