Category: Distributors/Service Centers

Participants in the hot- and cold-rolled coils market are optimistic about the market's health.

SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices indicate that steel buyers remain highly optimistic about their businesses’ chances for current and future success.

MU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

Service centers held only 2.24 months of supply (49.3 days of supply) of sheet products in March, according to our latest figures. If you check our archives, you’ll see that's the lowest sheet inventories we’ve seen since June 2021 – which was hardly a bad year for steel.

US service centers’ flat-rolled steel supply declined for a third straight month in March, with shipping days of supply slipping to 49.3 on an adjusted basis, according to SMU data.

Participants in the galvanized steel market remain encouraged by strengthening product prices, even as increases unfold at a subdued pace.  

Remember the “Got Milk?” advertising campaign of the 1990s. Maybe we should start a “Got Steel?” campaign. Or maybe “Got Spot Tons?” would be more accurate, if less catchy.

Plate market participants we spoke to this week offered a long list of concerns: escalating fuel and freight expenses, consolidated sources of end-market demand, tariff-related complications, as well as long lead times and delivery delays from US mills. The cherry on top? An ever shrinking availability of spot tons from domestic mills.

SMU survey respondents sound off on a host of issues affecting the steel industry.

The Alliance Steel Family of Companies has hired long-time steel executive Thomas J. Pasko as commercial director. Pasko adds more than three decades of flat-rolled steel experience to Alliance’s leadership team,

Spot market participants worry that limited availability for certain grades of domestically produced plate will extend lead times even further.  

Ryerson Holding Corp. announced a series of leadership changes to fully align the organization after its recent acquisition of Cleveland-based Olympic Steel.

Worthington Steel has exceeded the minimum share threshold for its acquisition of Kloeckner and Co.

Worthington Steel reported steady progress on its planned acquisition of Kloeckner & Co., calling the deal a major strategic step as steel markets show early signs of tightening in the US and remain under pressure in Europe.

Most steel buyers see prices continuing to inch higher on stable or improving demand. But some are concerned higher energy prices stemming for the Iran war could dent the overall economy.

Worthington Steel reporter lower FY Q3 earnings on what its CEO described as "challenging" macroeconomic conditions.

The galvanized sheet market continued to tighten in March as distributors and service centers reported firm demand, low inventory levels, and rising transportation costs. Participants on the monthly HARDI sheet metal and air-handling call on Wednesday described a market defined by constrained supply and steady upward pricing pressure.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) eased in February. The result came as a marginal increase in service center intake levels was offset by higher shipments, according to our latest service center inventories data.

Plate market sources say the week has been quiet, but that overall, business remains consistent.

As spot prices for hot- and cold-rolled coils edge higher, mill capacity utilization rates hover below 80%, raising concern among some market participants.  

Longview, Texas-based Friedman Industries announced it will increase the building's size and add fabrication capabilities, including laser-cutting equipment.

US service centers’ flat-rolled steel supply declined for a second consecutive month in February, with shipping days of supply slipping to 52.2 on an adjusted basis, according to SMU data.

Klockner & Co.'s North American business closed 2025 with its strongest fourth quarter on record, even as pricing and currency effects weighed on revenue. The update comes as Worthington Steel moves close to securing control of the German distributor through an ongoing public takeover bid.

This week sources said spot prices on hot-rolled coils increased modestly. 

Domestic plate market participants expressed confidence in the overall improvement of market conditions this week.  

Reliance Inc. announced two big US government contract wins from its wholly-owned subsidiary AMI Metals Inc.

Serviacero USA is set to establish its first US manufacturing operation after purchasing a rail-served site at the Gulf Inland Logistics Park in Houston.

Participants in the US hot- and cold-rolled sheet market cautiously called the week a win as prices inched north and demand picked up.  

Reuters on Monday quoted Worthington Steel President and CEO Geoff Gilmore as saying the company has alternative targets if its deal to acquire Germany-based service center group Kloeckner & Co. doesn't happen.

Sources in the domestic hot- and cold-rolled coil market said they are beginning to feel prices creeping up this week.