SMU Data and Models
February 6, 2020
Steel Mill Lead Times: Flat at Healthy Level
Written by Tim Triplett
Mill lead times for spot orders of flat rolled steel extended by more than a week during last year’s fourth quarter, but so far this year have been fairly flat. The average lead time for orders of hot roll is now a bit less than five weeks, cold roll around six and a half weeks and coated steels near seven weeks. Plate is at five weeks.
Comparing the data, the average lead time for spot orders of hot rolled last week was 4.81 weeks, little changed 4.85 in early January. Cold rolled last week was at 6.59 weeks, versus 6.52 weeks the month prior. Galvanized was at 7.08, down just slightly from 7.15, while Galvalume was at 7.22 weeks. The average plate lead time last week was 5.00 weeks, slightly shorter than the 5.33 in SMU’s survey in mid-January.
