Consumer demand for welded pipes has remained scarce in Italy. Buying activity is slowing down as local traders look to run down inventories as the end of the year approaches. However, domestic and export prices for Italian welded pipes have remained unchanged over the past month. In the import segment, quotations of Turkish material have increased by a maximum of €10/mt ($14/mt), while offers of Bulgarian pipes for Italy have declined by around €10/mt ($14/mt) over the period under review. Market players believe that welded pipe prices in Italy will remain stable for the remainder of the year against a backdrop of seasonally sluggish demand. However, it is rumored that Italian pipe producers may increase prices by around €20-30/mt ($27-41/mt) for January output following the recent feedstock price increase announcements made by some producers, including Marcegaglia.
Current local prices for Italian welded pipes of 2"-6" size with wall thickness of 2.0-4.0 mm as per EN 10219 made from base steel grade S235JR hot rolled coil (HRC) are at about €550-600/mt ($743-810/mt) ex-works. Prices are shown on actual weight basis and excluding 21 percent VAT. Domestic prices for standard-size precision welded tubes, E235 grade as per EN 10305-3 (not normalized), are at about €670-690/mt ($905-932/mt) ex-works.
Export quotations of Italian 2"-6" welded pipes as per EN 10219 are at about €580-630/mt ($783-851/mt) FOB (transportation by sea) or €550-600/mt ($743-810/mt) ex-works (transportation overland). In particular, offer prices for Spain are in the range of €580-630/mt ($783-851/mt) CPT.
Offers from Turkish suppliers of industrial welded pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness made from HR coils are being given at an average of €500-540/mt ($675-729/mt) CFR to Italy and at €520-550/mt ($702-743/mt) CFR to Spain.
Offers of Bulgarian welded pipes to the Italian market are standing at an average of €570-600/mt ($770-810/mt) CPT on theoretical weight basis.
€1 = $1.35