February 2023 Steel Director’s Briefing In last month's briefing, I asked if another wave of pent-up demand was about to hit the steel market. One month later, and I think it's fair to say that the answer is somewhat ambiguous. Demand for forward requirements has definitely increased. End users have accepted that price increases are, at least in the short / medium term sustainable, and are placing orders Read More

Is another wave of pent-up demand about to hit the steel market? After a slow start to January, worldwide mill offer prices rose significantly in just a few weeks. Lead times from European mills extend into April and beyond, with order books for this quarter now full.  The short-term availability of stock is therefore limited if you require material quickly. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that lead times from Read More

Back in December last year, I described 2021 as having been ‘eventful.’ The same language can be used to describe the events of 2022 - albeit for different reasons. The word ‘eventful’ probably doesn't go nearly far enough….   At the beginning of this year, the word that perhaps most in our minds was a new one - Omicron.  The Omicron variant of covid-19 posed a very real risk of further Read More