As a result of the ongoing rises in raw material prices in the global market and European flat steel producers’ insistence on increasing their prices last week, the awaited price increase in the local European welded pipe market has materialized late last week. After the long Chinese New Year holiday, Chinese market players first increased their domestic flat steel prices and then revised their export quotations upwards, which signals that the price rises in the global flat steel market will continue. Accordingly, it is almost certain that European welded pipe producers will further increase their prices in February.
A Bulgarian steel producer’s offers for ERW pipes as per EN 10219 have increased by €10/mt to €570-580/mt ($644-661/mt) ex-works. The Bulgarian welded pipe producer’s quotations European market to Germany are at €600-610/meter ($678-689/meter) CPT, to Hungary are at €575-580/meter ($649-661/meter) CPT, to Australia are at €585-590/meter ($661-667/meter) CPT, and to Belgium and the Netherlands are at €615-620/meter ($695-701/meter) CPT, while its offers to the Czech Republic, Poland, Croatia and Slovakia are standing at €610-620/mt ($689-701/mt) CPT, and its offers to Slovenia are at €615-620/mt ($695-701/mt) CPT.
€1 = $1.13