Welded pipe demand remains low in Italy

Italian welded pipes producers have increased domestic and export quotations by €10-40/mt over the past month, expecting higher business activity after summer. Meanwhile, demand from both local and foreign buyers has failed to show any sign of improvement, and customers have preferred to delay purchases expecting price cuts from producers. At the same time, Turkish suppliers have had to reduce welded pipe prices by €50-60/mt over the past month amid low buying in the Italian market, falling raw material prices and the devaluation of the US dollar against the euro.
 
 Market insiders believe Italian producers will be forced to review their prices down in the coming period on low demand, sharp decline in flat steel quotations and tougher competition with overseas suppliers.
 
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 HR coils are at about €600-620/mt ($774-800/mt) ex-works. Prices are shown on actual weight basis and excluding 21 percent VAT. Domestic prices for standard-size precision welded tubes of E235 grade as per EN 10305-3 are at about €680-700/mt ($877-903/mt) ex-works.
 
Export quotations of Italian 2"-6" welded pipes as per EN 10219 are at about €630-650/mt ($818-844/mt) FOB (transportation by sea) or €600-620/mt ($774-800/mt) ex-works (transportation overland). In particular, offer prices for Spain are in the range of €630-650/mt ($813-839/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 €530-570/mt ($684-735/mt) CFR to Italy and at €550-585/mt ($710-755/mt) CFR to Spain.
 
Offers of Bulgarian welded pipes to the Spanish market are standing at an average of €580-610/mt ($748-787/mt) CPT on theoretical weight basis.
 
€1 = $1.29