SMU Survey: Clear Signs of Improving Demand

Steel Market Update (SMU) conducted our mid-April steel market survey this past week. Early in the survey process we approached a subject that we know is near and dear to those within the steel industry – where do our respondents see demand for their products.

What we found is a clear sign of improving demand. We first polled the group which consisted mainly of manufacturing companies (44 percent) and service centers (43 percent) with a smattering of steel mills (5 percent), trading companies (4 percent), toll processors (3 percent) and other suppliers to the industry (1 percent).  What we discovered was a vast improvement in the percentage of our respondents who reported demand as “improving” and a clear reduction in those reporting demand as “declining.”