Tag: Plate

Since late 2025, mills have begun to hold a firmer stance on prices, tightening their grip at the start of this year and holding on since

Once wintery weather gives way to sunnier spring conditions, plate sources foresee the market accepting the $50-60 per short ton spot price increases issued by Nucor Plate Group, Oregon Steel Mills, and SSAB. 

Three of SMU’s price indices increased this week, while two remained steady, all holding at multi-month highs.

US service centers’ flat-rolled steel supply declined in January, after trending higher in December. Shipping days of supply slipped to 58.5 on an adjusted basis at the end of January, according to SMU data.

SSAB Americas wants to increase plate prices by at least $60 per short ton, $10 more than rival Nucor’s price hike last week.

Nucor on Friday announced plans to increase plate prices by $50 per short ton (st).

SMU’s sheet price indices inched up to new multi-month highs this week, while plate prices held steady.

Plate production for the construction of the Polar Max Icebreaker is underway at Algoma’s Sault Ste. Marie facility in Ontario.  

Plate market participants expect domestic producers to issue a $40-60 per short ton (st) price increase.

November steel exports tumbled 15% from October to the lowest monthly export rate since July 2020.

One third of the steel buyers responding to our market survey this week reported that domestic mills are negotiable on new spot order pricing. Mills began to hold a firmer stance on prices towards the end of last year, tightening their grip in early January and holding it since.

Steel mill lead times marginally declined on sheet products this week but edged higher on plate, according to responses from SMU’s latest market survey. Overall, lead times remain one to two weeks longer than levels seen three months ago.

Flat-rolled steel prices inched upward again this week as mixed demand appeared to be offset by limited supplies.

Steel imports remain weak in November and December according to recently released final US Commerce Department data. Many of the sheet and plate products we follow slipped to multi-year lows.

SSAB Americas delivered higher shipments and a stronger operating result in the fourth quarter of 2025. The company saw firm demand in key US end markets and a solid finish to the year despite a planned maintenance outage.

Sheet prices mostly continued their uneven but steady march higher this week, according to SMU’s latest check of the market.

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

The plate market’s swell of optimistic sentiment marking the start of 2026 dissipated this week.  

Just over a third of the steel buyers who responded to our market survey this week reported that domestic mills are willing to talk price to secure new spot orders.

US service centers’ flat-rolled steel supply recovered in December, after trending lower from September to November.

SSAB Americas, Nucor, and Oregon Steel Mills all announced higher plate prices on Friday.

SMU's steel market chatter this week.

The volume of steel shipped outside of the country increased 11% from September to October 2025 to a seven-month high of 662,000 short tons (st), according to recently released data from the US Department of Commerce.

Participants in the domestic steel plate market said they are maintaining strong order books, experiencing longer lead times, and finding mills are less open to negotiating prices.

The majority of SMU’s sheet and plate price indices rose this week, with multiple products climbing to new multi-month highs

According to recently released final US Commerce Department data, US steel imports rebounded 11% month on month (m/m) in October 2025 after falling to a multi-year low one month earlier. The latest license figures suggest imports eased back by 3% in November and by another 2% in December, with trade again nearing historical lows.

Steel plate market participants think increasing spot prices and growing order volumes could stick around. That’s two encouraging signs for the year ahead, they said. Oregon Steel Mills, SSAB, and Nucor all increased base prices for plate products by $40 per short ton (st) in the final weeks of December. SMU data also indicates that mills […]

Steel mill lead times increased for both sheet and plate products this week, according to responses from SMU’s latest market survey.

Mill spot price negotiation rates have tumbled across all products SMU tracks, according to our latest survey data.

Steel sheet and plate prices rose across the board to start the year on limited spot availability at some mills, expectations of higher scrap prices, and hopes of stronger demand in 2026.