Import plate offers have once again decreased in the Turkish market, taking into account the tough competition between a considerable number of sellers and also due to insufficient demand. Some suppliers, however, have provided limited discounts, aiming to secure themselves against some risks from high production costs.
For many weeks in a row the most competitive price for S235JR plate is coming from South Korea, which is at $850/mt CFR for January-February shipments officially, but buyers say $835/mt CFR and even below is achievable. Romania’s plate is on offer at $1,030/mt CFR, down $20-40/mt over the past two weeks, which is the highest import price in the market at the moment. Bulgaria is offering $980-990/mt CFR, versus $1,000/mt CFR a week earlier, but some customers believe $960-970/mt CFR levels are also possible for serious buyers.
In the shipbuilding sector, Macedonia has been offering at $940-960/mt CFR, down $40/mt over the past two weeks. Chinese grade A plate offers have been reported at $840-850/mt CFR, down from $900/mt CFR seen in mid-October.
Domestic plate offers in Turkey have remained fairly stable over the past two weeks, with S235JR plate available at $980-1,000/mt ex-works. Traders’ plate prices are nowadays at $1,100-1,150/mt ex-warehouse, SteelOrbis has learned.
