Polish construction growth boosts Konsorcjum Stali’s first-quarter sales

Konsorcjum Stali (KS) increased sales 16.4% on-year in the first quarter to 178,000 tonnes, boosted by a 26.1% rise in Poland’s building and construction sector output, Kallanish learns from the Polish distributor and fabricator.

First-quarter revenue rose 28% to PLN 461.06 million ($127.1m) and net profit grew 5% to PLN 11.45m.

Despite the 2-3% annual growth forecast for Polish steel consumption in the coming years, and 1.9% EU consumption growth in 2018, the threat remains of a global trade war stemming from US 232 tariffs, KS observes.

In 2017 KS increased sales 5% on-year to 639,000t (see Kallanish passim). This was driven by a 7% rise in traded product sales to 398,000t. Rebar sales rose 15% to 168,000t, but sheet deliveries fell -6.8% to 69,000t. Z and G sections sales were flat at 60,000t. Sales of KS-produced or processed products, meanwhile, rose 3.4% to 241,000t.

At an industry meeting in Poland last month KS chief executive Janusz Smolka said Polish construction projects should go ahead despite the increasing number of construction firm bankruptcies.

Stocks at EU steel distributors drop as shipments rise

Steel shipments from European service centers and stockholders rose year on year in April, while stocks gradually fell to normal levels, the European Federation of Steel, Tubes and Metals Distribution & Trade (EUROMETAL) said Wednesday.

Shipments at flat steel service centers in April rose 7.3% year on year.

While EUROMETAL does not specify volumes, the association releases an index for stock levels with the average of 2015 equivalent to 100. On this basis, stock levels at European flat steel distribution centers dropped to 110 in April from 121 in the same month last year, indicating lower volumes from last year, though nevertheless slightly elevated.

“After quite some overstocking in late 2017, mainly in coated products, stocks of EU SSC are now closely back to normal,” EUROMETAL said.

Shipments at multi-product distributors in April rose 8.5% year on year. The stock volume index stood at 101 in April, down slightly from 102 in the same month last year.

The data coincides with the latest stock volumes at German steel distributors. As reported, inventories of flat steel products at German stockholders and distributors in April fell to their lowest level so far this year, down 6.3% year on year at 1.45 million mt, according to figures from German stockholders association, BDS. Long product stocks in Germany also declined, but not as heavily as flat steel, falling 4.5% year on year to 879,715 mt.

Laura Varriale, PLATTS

April signals on-year revival in EU distribution activity

Activity at European flats steel service centres (SSC) and multi-product distributors rose significantly in April compared with the same month of 2017, Kallanish learns from EUROMETAL.

Shipments by SSC moved up 7.3% y-o-y in April alone. Overall shipments during the first four months of the year remained stable compared with the same period of 2017, the European distributors’ association notes.

SSC also showed slight re-stocking activity during the period as stocks returned to 72 days’ worth of sales. In April last year these were calculated at 82 days’ worth of sales.

Meanwhile shipments from multi-products distributors also jumped 8.5% y-o-y in April. Overall aggregated shipments in the first four months of 2018 have been 0.7% higher than last year. Stocks in April meanwhile reached 80 days’ worth of sales, compared with 87 days’ worth of sales in April 2017.

Revista INFOACERO – Mayo 2018

En el siguiente enlace pueden acceder a la edición de mayo de nuestra revista Infoacero: Infoacero mayo 2018

A continuación destacamos algunos de sus contenidos:

• Opinión – D. Fernando Moraga – Presidente de la Unión de Almacenistas de Aragón y Soria y Miembro de la Junta Directiva de la UAHE.
• Evolución del Índice de Precios de Productos Siderúrgicos – UAHE.
• Asamblea General UAHE – Programa de Conferencias, Madrid 12 de junio 2018
• Previsiones 2018-2019 para el Sector del Acero en Europa: Resumen del Informe de Eurofer actualizado al mes de mayo 2018.
• Próximos Eventos: Jornada EUROMETAL sobre Líneas de Corte Países Sur de Europa, 25 – 27 de junio 2018 – Barcelona

EUROMETAL highlights Section 232 divergence from WTO principles

Europe’s steel distributor’s trade association EUROMETAL has joined virtually the rest of the continent is signalling the disruptive nature of the US Section 232 tariffs on global trade. EUROMETAL highlights the guiding principles of the Marrakesh Agreement made when establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In a statement sent to Kallanish, the association adopts a rational and reasoned approach, suggesting that the precipitous US action and consequential retaliatory actions by other nations are both undesirable. “EUROMETAL is aware that global overcapacities in steel are of nature to disrupt steel trade flows, with spiralling moves towards protectionism, unfair trade practices and retaliating trade measures and, as a consequence, raising uncertainty and volatility in global steel markets.

In that line, US safeguard measures and corresponding retaliating measures are a serious blow against the optimisation of global steel supply chains with heavy negative consequences for all stakeholders of the steel supply chain,” its says.

These stakeholders include all main end-user groups as well as the global distribution sector, EUROMETAL says. The association reinforces this by listing the four basic tenets of the World Trade Organization as listed in the Marrakesh agreement. These are the “… official primary guiding principles of free and fair trade,” it says.

kallanish.com