Steel Mill Lead Times: HR Shortening

Lead times, especially on hot rolled steel, have continued to gradually shorten over the past couple of months, according to Steel Market Update’s latest market trends data. Lead times for hot rolled now average just above five weeks, for cold rolled a bit less than seven and a half weeks, for galvanized a bit more than seven and a half weeks, and for Galvalume a bit less than eight weeks. Lead times for all these products are significantly extended compared to this time last year.

Lead times for steel delivery are a measure of demand at the mill level. The more extended the lead time, the busier the mills. Shortening of lead times suggests some mills may be looking to fill holes in their order books.