Stainless Steel & Special Alloys

Stainless Quarterly Report 2023-02

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Stainless Quarterly Report 2023-02

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A better start to 2023 than widely expected

Joost van Kleef

Oryx Stainless B.V. (NLD), Chairman of the BIR Stainless Steel & Special Alloys Committee

Despite the “energy crisis” headlines, the start of 2023 has been better for the stainless steel industry than most economic researchers predicted (...)

Asia

Vegas Yang

HSKU Raw Material Ltd, Taiwan (CHN) & Mahiar R. Patel, Cronimet (SGP)

Gradual restarting of Posco melt shop operations
Some Chinese mills enter international market for stainless scrap
Falling container freight rates assist scrap movements

United States

Doug Kramer

Spectrum Alloys LLC (USA)

Stainless scrap prices head higher in January
Scrap export demand healthier than expected
Challenges on several fronts for LME

Italy

Ruggero Ricco

Nichel Leghe Spa (ITA)

Uncertainties persist into 2023
Some mills stopping for plant maintenance in first quarter
No strong desire among scrap suppliers to sell product

Middle East

Omar Al Sharif

Sharif Metals Group DMCC (ARE)

UAE’s non-oil GDP growth remains stable
Slower stainless steel demand from August onwards
Distributors and service centres continue destocking

Superalloys

Rosie Hill

Ireland Alloys Ltd. (GBR)

LME nickel still troubled through fourth quarter
Molybdenum jumps to new highs
Superalloy manufacturers with extended order backlogs