SMU Survey: Lead times stabilize following early January bump

Steel mill lead times held steady on most products this week following the surge seen in early January, according to responses from SMU’s latest market survey. Lead times for sheet products saw minor movements, while plate times eased by a few days. Overall, lead times remain one to two weeks longer than levels seen three months ago.

The average production time for hot-rolled coil and plate is around six weeks. Cold rolled and galvanized products are in the mid-seven-week range. Galvalume is just over eight weeks.

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.