SMU Data and Models
January 10, 2019
Steel Mill Lead Times: Short to Start the Year
Written by Tim Triplett
Mill lead times turned the corner on the new year little changed from mid-December. At less than four weeks for hot rolled and around six weeks for cold rolled and coated products, lead times for spot orders of most products are as short as they have been in over a year. While still in high demand, even plate lead times dipped slightly last week.
Lead times for steel delivery are a measure of demand at the mill level—the shorter the lead time, the less busy the mill. The less busy the mill, the more likely they are to negotiate on price.
