Fuat Tosyalı, chairman of both Turkish steelmaker Tosyali Holding and of the Turkish Steel Producers' Association (TCUD), has stated that, with the widespread use of electric cars, it has become difficult to find electrodes, adding that the search for a partnership to produce electrodes locally in Turkey continues, according to Turkish daily Dünya.
According to Mr. Tosyalı, the rapid rise in electrode prices, an important raw material for steel plants which use scrap, is a major problem for the steel sector. In addition, the prices of refractories, another raw material for steelmaking, has also increased significantly, and so cost increases have reached $40-50/mt.
Regarding the increases in rebar prices in Turkey, the TCUD chairman commented that the share of steel in the construction sector does not exceed two percent or three percent. Building contractors are fundamentally demanding price compensation from the Turkish government, but they are bringing forward this price issue as a pretext, Mr. Tosyalı added.