The annual global steel
scrap trade is about 105 million metric tons, while
Turkey's reach in this international trade is about 60 million metric tons, said Şükrü Çelik, director of Belgian
Scrap Terminal NV in
Turkey, speaking at the 8th SteelOrbis Turkish Steel Market Conference held in Istanbul on November 29. With its total annual
scrap consumption of 32 million metric tons,
Turkey imports about 22 million metric tons of steel
scrap, mostly from
Europe, the US & Canada, Russia and the Mediterranean.
Europe, the US and Russia, the main
scrap suppliers to
Turkey, are also major
scrap users, Mr. Çelik said, while going on to say that South Africa has started to sell steel
scrap to
Turkey lately, though it remains to be seen if this country will become one of
Turkey's regular suppliers.
Mr. Çelik stated that, although Turkish mills have significant pricing power in the
scrap trade and while other buyers have to keep an eye on Turkish mills, the country lacks quality standards and this is impacting its effectiveness in steel
scrap purchases. The BST executive also said that he does not support the initiative of some Turkish steel producers in forming a joint venture company, which would act as a pool through collective
scrap purchases.