Prices for import seamless pipes in Italy have soared amid rapid growth of raw material costs in all world markets. Over the past month offers of Chinese material have moved up by €40-50/mt. Prices of Ukrainian seamless pipes for Italy have climbed by €110-120/mt. Over the past month offers of Romanian seamless pipes for the Italian market have risen by €30/mt, while quotations of seamless pipes from the Czech Republic have increased by €20-30/mt. Global oil demand is expected to resume growth in 2010 following two years of contraction, led by increased consumption in non-OECD countries. Export demand for seamless pipes in the energy-related sector is on a recovery track, while domestic demand in Italy is also gradually increasing with a recovery seen in the construction machinery and industrial machinery sectors as regards manufacture of export products. Under the circumstances, further revision of their prices will enable seamless pipe suppliers to ensure stable supplies of their products. Most seamless pipe makers have been bringing back capacity idled during the recession in anticipation that demand for seamless pipes will pick up this year.
Current domestic prices for Italian seamless pipes of 2"-6" size grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at about €885-905/mt ex-works.
Export quotations of Italian seamless pipes of 2"-6" size grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at €910-930/mt FOB, excluding trader's margin.
Prices for Chinese seamless pipes 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L are at about €670-720/mt C&F Italy, exclusive of antidumping duties (in the range of 17.7-39.2 percent depending on the producer).
April-May production Ukrainian 2"-14" seamless pipes ex-Interpipe grade B as per ASTM A106 are offered to the Italian market at around €850-890/mt DDU (25.1 percent AD duty is not included in this price range).
Prices for Romanian origin seamless steel tubes (ArcelorMittal Romania) 2"-6" grade B made to API 5L are at about €860-880/mt CPT, prices for 12"-14" seamless pipes grade B made to API 5L are at about €960-980/mt CPT, while offers of 16" seamless pipes are being given to the Italian market at €1,100-1,120/mt CPT.
Prices for Czech origin seamless steel tubes (ArcelorMittal Ostrava) 6"-8" grade B made to API 5L are at about €880-900/mt, including delivery inside Italy.
Offers of June production 2"-6" hot-formed seamless pipes ex-Belarus SW (BMZ) grade B as per API 5L are coming to the Italian market at €830/mt CPT.