IREPAS billet suppliers’ committee: Competitive CIS billet prices enable increased exports to Turkey

During the last session of the SteelOrbis Fall 2013 Conference & 69th IREPAS Meeting held in Istanbul, Uğur Dalbeler, chairman of the billet suppliers' committee, said that Turkish billet export prices have not been competitive in recent times due to upward pressure coming from scrap prices, leading to a 40 percent year-on-year decrease in Turkey's steel billet exports so far in the current year.
 
According to figures provided by the Turkish Steel Exporters' Association, Turkey's steel billet exports this year up to September 22 amounted to 1.36 million metric tons, decreasing by 39.8 percent year on year.
 
On the other hand, Mr. Dalbeler said that steel billet export suppliers from the CIS have more competitive prices and increased sales to Turkey as a result, also given the higher billet prices in Turkey.
 
Dalbeler stated that the situation in the US market is now good, while the euro zone is reviving slowly in terms of steel market activity.
 
"After a difficult year in 2013, we hope to start seeing those old good days by 2015 and 2016," he concluded.