Steel Products Prices North America

Mills to Increase Zinc Coating Extras Effective Jan. 1: Sources

Written by Michael Cowden

October 28, 2021

Domestic mills plan to announce higher zinc coating extras as soon as this week, according to market participants.

The higher coating extras would be effective Jan. 1, 2022, they said.

At least two domestic mills have also confirmed that extras will move higher.

Zinc is used to make galvanized products. It prevents rust. Zinc prices have been rising since March 2020 and reached a multi-year high of $1.7369 per pound on Oct. 15.

Prices for the nonferrous metal were turbocharged by soaring energy prices, which resulted in smelter cutbacks due to the energy intensive smelting process.

By Michael Cowden, Michael@SteelMarketUpdate.com

Michael Cowden

Michael Cowden is managing editor for Steel Market Update. Cowden has covered the steel industry since 2007. He has since 2014 specialized in flat-rolled steel but has previously reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube as well as aluminum. Before joining SMU, Cowden held reporting jobs at Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago - where he was involved in launching AMM's daily hot-rolled coil index, the Associated Press in Pittsburgh, and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He has also worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press. Cowden has a BA in English from the University of Chicago and an MSJ journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Contact him at michael@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7872.

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