Analysis
September 17, 2026
Written by David Schollaert
Steel mill lead times extended for sheet and plate products this week, according to buyers responding to our latest market survey. Production times have been historically long for most of the summer.
The trend is now continuing as we move into the fall. You will see a theme in our latest lead time analysis: Each product we measure is at a multi-year high—all dating back to 2021.
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.
SSAB Americas announced immediate changes to pricing extras on select products, according to a letter sent to customers Friday morning.
Kibar Americas said production has started at its aluminum plant in Fairmont, W.Va., where it will manufacture products for the HVAC, packaging, automotive and industrial sectors.
The phrase “Fortress North America” seems to resurface anytime US, Canada, and Mexico trade negotiations roll around. The idea of an economic Fortress North America burst onto the scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the lead up to NAFTA. In theory...