SMU Flat Rolled Steel Market Trends Survey: Price Increase Announcements & Lead Times

Twice per month Steel Market Update (SMU) conducts a survey of the flat rolled steel markets. We invite close to 600 people representing approximately 550 companies spread out around the United States and Canada. We concentrate on two main steel buying groups: manufacturing companies and service centers/wholesalers. Our most recent market trends analysis was completed on Wednesday, November 23rd during which 44 percent of our respondents were distributors/wholesalers, 42 percent were manufacturing companies with the balance being made up of steel mills (6 percent), trading companies (6 percent) and finally toll processors (2 percent).

With flat rolled steel price increase announcements becoming the norm over the past four weeks we wanted to know if steel buyers/sellers and executives in the industry had any opinions regarding the chances of more flat rolled price increases being made prior to the end of the year. We also wanted to know if the announcements already made (and there have been three to date) were having any impact on lead times, thus creating an environment where steel buyers need to make decisions to buy sooner than just a few weeks ago.