Aperam alloy surcharge decrease ends long uptrend

French stainless steel producer Aperam has decreased alloy surcharges in June, for the first time in 2022, for its austenitic range of flat stainless steels for Europe. This follows a series of increases. Surcharges have fallen by some €400/tonne ($430) on average versus May, Kallanish notes.

The surcharge for grade 304 (1.4301) has gone down from €3,656/tonne in May to €3,239/t, effective 1 June. For grade 316, it has fallen from €5,338/t to €4,748/t next month. Grade 309S, a heat-resistant stainless steel used in high-temperature applications, has also seen its value decrease from €5,328/t in May to €4,406/t. The surcharge for the most popular ferritic grade, 409, has gone down only slightly from €1,180/t to €1,174/t in June, the company reveals.

Offers for nickel cash buyers reached $32,825/t on 26 April and fell to $27,850/t on 27 May, Kallanish notes.

Meanwhile, Outokumpu has also decreased its surcharges for June. The new figure for grade 304 (1.4301) is €3,219/t, down from €3,844/t in May.

Natalia Capra France