According to sources close to SteelOrbis, Italian welded pipe producers are seeking to increase their prices, following three weeks of downward movement. In January, the producers were giving discounts of 25 percent on list prices, while currently discounts range between 27 percent and 30 percent depending on order sizes. The producers would like reduce their discounts to January levels.
In the Italian welded pipe market, prices have been declining recently because of lower demand, which had been anticipated since buyers’ purchase volumes in December and January were about 20 percent higher than traditional December and January volumes, while in recent weeks buyers were purchasing only in line with their needs. Meanwhile, local welded pipe demand has now improved but still lacks strength.
Italian welded pipe producers are seeking to increase prices on the back of the ongoing increases in flat steel prices. HRC base prices are currently at €540-560/mt ($572-594/mt) ex-works in the Italian domestic market, and could increase further in the coming period depending on the results of the EU antidumping investigations against flat steel imports from China, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Iran and Serbia, sources say.
Domestic producers’ prices of welded tubes of 2" diameter with 3 mm thickness as per EN 10219 stand at €630-660/mt ($668-700/mt), ex-works.
€1 = $1.06