HARDI: Mill Behavior’s Confusing

How can domestic mills expect to increase prices when their lead times are so short and foreign steel is still so plentiful? In the monthly steel conference call hosted today by the Heating, Air-conditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International, HARDI members commented on the contradictions in mill behavior that have left them confused and concerned about the second half of the year.

During last month’s conference call, the wholesalers and distributors who sell galvanized steel products to the HVAC market described themselves as stuck in an uncomfortable wait-and-see mode as the Section 232 drama played out in Washington. A full month later, there is still no resolution to Section 232, and the threat of possible trade action in the coming weeks or months is still a source of anxiety.