Recent market and political developments have led to multiple price increases in flat rolled carbon steel over the past few weeks.  Domestic mill prices on hot rolled carbon steel have increased by over 3.00 cwt alone over the past few weeks, leading to an uptick in orders and extending lead times to at least a month from previous lead times of at least two weeks.  

Where is the market going for the remainder of 2016 and Q1 of 2017?  Click on the title above to keep reading and learn more!

In the past month, flat rolled steel sheet and plate prices have surged higher than they have been in over a year.  Manufacturing and steel distribution warehouse purchasers have been left wondering if prices will continue to increase; and, when the market will flat-line.  

It may be a ways off before we see a plateau in flat rolled steel sheet and steel plate prices; and, many experts believe that there may be more potential price hike increases as the steel market waits for scrap price announcements.  Click on the title above to keep reading and learn more!

In recent weeks at Camden Yards Steel, we have continued to keep tabs on market prices trending upwards in the hot rolled, cold rolled, and hot-dipped galvanized steel categories. It no longer seems to be a question of whether or not the market prices on hot rolled steel will increase.  Instead, the question is how high prices will continue to climb before plateauing. 

While there are a few skeptics, industry experts believe we are a ways off from seeing a plateau because of several factors including increased lead times by mills, less mill capacity, low market inventories, and more difficult access to foreign material.    Click on the title above to keep reading and learn more!

As mentioned in previous posts, hot rolled steel is the most basic form of carbon steel.  However, the scale that is left behind on hot rolled steel after it is formed is undesirable in many manufacturing applications and processes.  In order to combat the scale issue, mills started to pickle and oil their steel to create a more desirable product for end users. 

Thus, hot rolled pickled and oiled (from here on referred to as HRPO) flat rolled steel coils were born.  HRPO steel is still considered hot rolled steel even though it does not have any scale. The final product of HRPO steel is created when steel mills use acid baths to remove the scale that usually forms on the surface of carbon steel coil, as the coil is cooling.  Click on the above title to keep reading and learn more.