Demand in the Italian welded pipe market remains at low but stable levels. Italian suppliers have slightly increased their domestic and export prices for welded pipes by €10-20/mt ($14-27/mt) over the past month amid stability in the market and slightly higher coil offers. Import offers of welded pipes from Turkey and Bulgaria have increased by €5-10/mt ($7-14/mt) over the past month. However, market players remain cautious about the future market prospects as overcapacity, higher production costs, weak demand from consuming sectors and the approach of the low season will place pressure on the development of the market.
Current local prices for Italian welded pipes of 2"-6" size with wall thickness of 2.0-4.0 mm as per EN 10219 made from base steel grade S235JR hot rolled coil (HRC) are at about €530-560/mt ($724-765/mt) ex-works. Prices are shown on actual weight basis and excluding 21 percent VAT. Domestic prices for standard-size precision welded tubes, E235 grade as per EN 10305-3 (not normalized), are at about €670-680/mt ($916-929/mt) ex-works.
Export quotations of Italian 2"-6" welded pipes as per EN 10219 are at about €560-590/mt ($765-806/mt) FOB (transportation by sea) or €530-560/mt ($724-765/mt) ex-works (transportation overland). In particular, offer prices for Spain are in the range of €560-600/mt ($765-820/mt) CPT.
Offers from Turkish suppliers of industrial welded pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness made from HR coils are being given at an average of €505-520/mt ($690-711/mt) CFR to Italy and at €520-540/mt ($711-738/mt) CFR to Spain.
Offers of Bulgarian welded pipes to the Italian market are standing at an average of €555-585/mt ($759-800/mt) CPT on theoretical weight basis.
€1 = $1.37