Demand has been recovering slowly in Turkey’s plate market and, as a result, the prices for plate of local and some import origins have increased. "With the demand recovery, finally we were able to reflect the increases in HRC prices in plate prices. Stocks are now at moderate levels, which also supports price increases in the steel plate market," a source said.
Big traders in the Gebze region have increased their prices by $20/mt over the past week to $540-550/mt for S235JR quality and to $580-590/mt for S355 quality plates, both ex-warehouse. In the meantime, traders’ offers for St37 grade 15-40 mm x 1,500 mm plate have also increased by $20/mt to $520-540/mt ex-warehouse in Gebze and to $510-530/mt ex-warehouse in the Eregli region, SteelOrbis has learned. The levels are for advance payment and prompt deliveries. Erdemir's prices for plate are stable at $510-520/mt ex-works for S235JR quality and at $560/mt ex-works for S355 quality plates, but it is not possible to find July production materials any longer, with products for August-September production now offered.
Import offers have also increased since last week. Bulgaria’s Stomana Industry S.A. is in the market with $550/mt CFR for S235JR grade, up $10/mt on the lower end, and $590/mt CFR for S355JR grade, up $10/mt since last week, for August production. In the shipbuilding plate segment, Macedonia-based Makstil’s price is at €510/mt CFR for August deliveries, down €20/mt since last week due to low demand in the shipbuilding plate segment, SteelOrbis has learned.