Stainless steel pipe, fittings & flanges report: January 2017
Sharp stainless surcharge increases were announced for January shipments by all four major domestic stainless-steel producers – NAS, Outokumpu Coil Americas, ATI and AK Steel. Total stainless increases range from 5-7% and were in response to sharply rising prices for ferrochrome and other stainless alloys as well as higher nickel prices.
U.S. low-carbon ferrochrome prices reached a 12-month high of $2.00-$2.08 per pound in mid-December, according to American Metal Market's (AMM) most recent assessment. Prices have risen by more than 13% since early November. High-carbon ferrochrome prices jumped to a 66-month high of $1.25-$1.33 per pound in the same assessment. The domestic market was following a global chrome rally that saw the European ferrochrome quarterly benchmark reach an eight-year high of $1.65 per pound, up 50% from the 4Q16 benchmark of $1.10 per pound in September.