Turkish HDG exports soar on EU demand, dumping probe raises concerns

Demand from European countries, particularly from southern Europe, continued to support Turkish mills’ coated coil exports, however the EU’s dumping probe on Turkish HDG has begun to raise some concerns among European buyers in recent weeks, sources told S&P Global Platts.

The European Commission (EC) opened an investigation into hot-dip galvanized coil imports from Turkey and Russia on June 24, alleging imports of certain corrosion-resistant steels originating from these countries were being dumped, as Platts has reported.

Pre-disclosure of the investigation is expected on Dec. 24, while provisional measures, if any, will be imposed by the EC until Jan. 24, 2022, informed industry sources told Platts. Definitive measures could be announced on July 20, 2022.

EU customers have begun to ask in recent weeks if they can share any dumping duty amount with Turkish sellers, if provisional duties will be imposed in the New year, according to a Turkish source. Turkish mills have been offering for late-December, January.

Turkish mills exported 1.43 million mt of coated coil to global markets in widths of 600 mm and above in January-August, 300,000 mt higher on year, according to the latest monthly Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) data observed by Platts.

EU countries remained Turkey’s top coated coil export destinations by far in that period, despite the dumping investigation opened in June.

Spain was Turkey’s main coated coil buyer in January-August, importing 365,800 mt, while Turkish mills’ coated coil exports to Italy reached 117,700 mt, both, 67% higher on year.

Portugal imported 124,200 mt of coated coil from Turkey in the eight-month period, more than double on year, while Belgium was Turkey’s other main coated coil buyer importing 116,400 mt, down 32% on year.

Turkish mills’ other coated coil export destinations in January-August were: Romania (82,400 mt), Greece (77,900 mt), UK (63,500 mt), US (51,600 mt), Ukraine (52,400 mt), Bulgaria (45,800 mt) and Canada (43,200 mt), the latest data showed.

— Cenk Can