Demand for welded pipes in the UAE is improving gradually on the back of the launch of new infrastructure projects. Local producers have increased their prices for welded pipes by around $5-15/mt over the past month amid higher feedstock costs and expectations of a further recovery of demand. Meanwhile, Chinese and Indian suppliers have not revised their offers over the past month. UAE market players believe that slight increases in welded pipe prices will continue to be seen in the coming period, while demand is expected to continue to improve gradually.
UAE domestic prices for locally produced 1"-4" welded pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM A53 or BS 1387 are at about $735-755/mt ex-works, while 1/2" pipes are at around $745-765/mt ex-works. Prices are given on theoretical weight basis.
Domestic quotations of 1"-4" welded pipes with 1.5 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM or BS 1387 are at about $765-785/mt ex-works.
Current domestic prices of 1"-4" galvanized ERW pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness are in the range of $925-945/mt ex-works.
Offers of Chinese ERW pipes up to 10" grade B as per ASTM are being given to the UAE market at about $680-720/mt CFR, unchanged compared to the levels of one month ago.
Indian suppliers are offering ERW pipes, 1"-6" as per BS 1387 (light series), to the UAE at $730-750/mt CFR on actual weight basis, also unchanged compared to the levels of one month ago.