Plate prices in the United States are stable despite volatile hot-rolled prices recently.
Also, market participants report, lead times average eight to 10 weeks.
It looks possible that plate prices will increase. One East Coast distributor said, “The plate mills are talking about putting an increase in.” In addition, a West Coast distributor noted, “If anything is ripe for an increase, I think it would be plate.”
The AMM reports, “The market is tight because SSAB’s plate mill in Iowa has an upcoming maintenance outage and few spot tons available, and because lead times at other US plate mills remain extended. ”
Another West Coast source stated, “Everything is very limited right now. We’re on controlled order entry.”
Plate prices typically move the same direction with hot-rolled coil prices. In that case, plate could be lower in tandem with hot-rolled. Although, presently that is not the case and plate is unchanged.
One possible reason for plate prices holding up is because of depressed plate imports.
But AMM states, “other sources said plate prices might not be as strong as they appear and could be vulnerable to any easing of Section 232 quotas and tariffs – 25% in the case of steel.”
“A company with limited tons or long lead times at one of its plate mills might have plenty of material available on short notice at another location, sources said. And steel, if not available at the mill, might be readily available at mill-owned depots, they said.”
It is best to go with a proven expert in their field. Call us if your company requires a secure supply of stainless, aluminum, cold-rolled or galvanized sheet metal.
We can help you with any stocking requirement level. From a few skids to hundreds of tons. We will help you schedule out the material you need to meet production without shortages.
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