Aperam increases alloy surcharges again

French stainless steel producer Aperam has increased its January alloy surcharges for its austenitic range of flat stainless steels for Europe by €100/tonne ($113) on average versus December. This comes on top of the €100/t increase announced last month, Kallanish notes.

The surcharge for grade 304 (1.4301) has gone up from €2,361/t last month to €2,427/t effective 1 January. For grade 316 it has increased from €3,563/t to €3,643/t. Grade 309S, a heat-resistant stainless steel used in high-temperature applications, has seen its surcharge remain stable this month at €3,267/t. The surcharge for the most popular ferritic grade, 409, however, has gone down for the first time in months, from €1,002/t in December to €922/t in January, the company reveals.

Offers for nickel cash buyers reached $20,925/t on 31 December, Kallanish notes.

Natalia Capra France