Prices

Nucor increases plate prices by $160/ton
Written by Michael Cowden
February 24, 2025
Nucor aims to increase prices for steel plate by $160 per short ton (st) with the opening of its April order book.
The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said the increase was effective with new orders received on Monday, Feb. 24, in a letter to customers dated the same day.
The company said the price hike applied equally to carbon, normalized, and quenched-and-tempered products.
“We reserve the right to review and re-quote any offers that are not confirmed with either a Nucor sales acknowledgement or written acceptance by both parties,” the company said in the letter.
Nucor’s $160/st plate price hike comes after the company increased plate prices by $60/st in both early February and late January. All told, Nucor has increased plate price by $280/st in less than a month, according to SMU’s mill price announcement calendar.
Nucor’s price hike also comes after SSAB Americas – another of the major US plate producers – increased plate prices by $100/st last week. SSAB has increased prices by $240/st over the last month.
Flat-rolled steel prices more broadly speaking have surged higher in recent weeks on higher scrap and pig iron costs as well as the threat of Section 232 tariffs of 25% being applied to all imported steel effective March 12.
The Trump administration has also threated to impose blanket tariffs of 25% on nearly all imports from Canada and Mexico effective March 4.
Michael Cowden
Read more from Michael CowdenLatest in Prices
SMU Survey: Mills less negotiable on spot prices
Most steel buyers responding to our market survey this week reported that domestic mills are considerably less willing to talk price on sheet and plate products than they were in recent weeks.
Price gap between US HRC, most imports narrows slightly
In dollar-per-ton terms, US product is on average $141/st less than landed import prices (inclusive of the 50% tariff). That’s down from $148/st last week.
SMU price ranges: Sheet ticks higher, plate stable
Sheet steel indices increased across the board this week, while plate prices held steady. All five of SMU’s price indices are higher than they were two weeks ago, and all but one are above levels recorded four weeks ago.
Nucor lifts HR spot price by $10/ton
Nucor has raised its weekly spot list price on hot-rolled coil by $10 per short ton (st) after keeping it unchanged since Aug. 25.
Atlas Tube up $50/ton following NLMK USA sheet price hike
Atlas Tube, in a leading move, said it aims to increase prices for mechanical tubing, hollow structural sections (HSS), and piling products by at least $50 per short ton (st).
