SMU Data and Models
July 23, 2020
Steel Mill Lead Times: Not Much Change
Written by Tim Triplett
Lead times for spot orders of flat rolled and plate steel have seen relatively little change over the past month, but remain about a half week shorter than this time last year as the market tries to come to grips with doing business in a pandemic. Lead times are an indicator of steel demand—shorter lead times suggest the mills are less busy and more inclined to negotiate on prices.
According to Steel Market Update’s check of the market this week, hot rolled lead times now average 3.58 weeks, down from 3.79 two weeks ago. Cold rolled was virtually unchanged at 5.74 weeks. Galvanized and plate lead times were slightly extended at 6.85 and 4.33 weeks, respectively.
