Prices for steel plates in Turkey have been decreasing, partly because some of the suppliers have to follow the downturn seen in the hot-rolled coil segment. In addition, spot and project demand for steel plates in Turkey remains insufficient, while stocks in the market are at sufficient levels. In the meantime, most of the foreign suppliers have started to offer rather competitive prices, while some are still at uncompetitive prices, though providing large discounts.
Ex-EU offers have remained the highest in the market, though the suppliers decreased their prices. Bulgaria’s Stomana is offering plate at $1,700-1,720/mt CFR, $200-220/mt down since early May. Galati from Romania has decided to try the level of $1,600/mt CFR, SteelOrbis has learned, which is down $180-200/mt over the mentioned period. Makstil is at €1,640/mt CFR, €100/mt down over the past two weeks. Macedonia’s US dollar-based price is at around $1,705/mt CFR.
Plate offers from South Korea have declined by $40/mt over the past week to $1,340/mt CFR for August-September shipments, being the most workable in the market at present. “Bulgaria and Romania are focusing more on the EU and they will decrease prices more and more. South Korea knows that those levels are not workable here [in Turkey]. Also, HRC is collapsing,” a source told SteelOrbis.
In the domestic market, Turkey’s single plate producer Erdemir is offering at $1,400/mt ex-works for S235JR with $20-30/mt higher levels available for S355JR, SteelOrbis understands. In the retail segment, the mentioned steel grades of plate are available at $1,740-1,760/mt and $1,750-1,775/mt ex-warehouse, respectively. Small deals have been closed for ready material in stock within the mentioned ranges.
