Following the increases in the Turkish hot rolled coil (HRC) segment, prices for welded pipes have risen by $10-15/mt in Turkey. Domestic welded pipe offers are standing at $490-525/mt ex-works this week; but demand has remained low despite slight signs of improvement. “After the price increases in Turkish HRC, we saw some demand. Local customers wanted to buy before welded pipe prices would rise. Of course, we cannot compare current demand with the demand which we had before Covid-19, but in these circumstances we saw an improvement. That is also good,” a pipe producer told SteelOrbis.
On the export side, prices have increased by $10/mt week on week to $490-510/mt FOB with no improvement seen in terms of demand. “Even shipments are problematic in this period. Our quotas will be renewed in July for the EU, and other destinations also have no demand due to Covid-19. Global customers do not want to deal with shipment problems amid this uncertainty, and everyone buys for their immediate needs from their local markets,” another pipe producer said.
** Prices are given for ERW pipes and hollow sections with 2-4 mm wall thickness made from HRC of S235 grade as per EN 10219, on theoretical weight basis.