Final Thoughts

Mill lead times, which means the amount of time it takes to receive (or be promised delivery) for a new order placed today, continue to be highly extended. We share our lead time by product graphic every couple of weeks after we conduct our latest market analysis. We also look at lead times from a different angle asking the manufacturing and service centers to describe lead times as being 1) extremely short; 2) shorter than normal; 3) normal; 4) slightly longer than normal; or 5) highly extended.

During the height of the pandemic (early second quarter 2020) lead times were considered to be shorter than normal by the majority of the respondents. Last week, one year after the beginning of the pandemic, lead times are referenced as being highly extended. Manufacturing companies agree with service centers and virtually no one is referencing lead times as being normal.