Steel makers find it tough to raise prices on weak demand

13 Apr 2011 Evaluate

Contract prices of iron ore and coal for the April-June quarter have risen sharply, but steelmakers are finding it difficult to pass on the rise in costs due to a slow demand for steel products. The long-term contract price for coal is 46% higher than that in the previous quarter, while that of iron ore is 10% higher, making it difficult for steel companies to absorb the rise in costs. Coal and iron ore together account for almost three-fourth of the total cost of steelmaking.

The impact is less for companies like Tata Steel and state-owned SAIL that have their own iron ore mines and partial ownership of coal. However, private companies such as JSW Steel and Essar Steel, which typically buy the resources from the open market, would find it difficult to absorb the price hike. The average price of hot rolled coils, which are used in consumer goods and cars, is at Rs. 38,000 a tone. The slow demand is mainly due to a tight liquidity situation as banks are reluctant to lend to the retail steel trade. The demand from original equipment manufacturers is, however, strong.

The composition of retail as part of total sales varies. SAIL sells about 15% of its steel products through long-term contracts and around 5% through retail sales. The rest of the steel is sold on the basis of monthly pricing. Last year, retail sales amounted to 600,000 tonnes out of SAIL’s total sales of 12.5 million tonnes.

For private sector steel major, JSW Steel, retail sales account for a significant chunk of total domestic sales. Its retail sales now account for nearly 26% of the total steel sales. JSW plans to double its store count to 600 and will sell around 3 MT of steel through retail outlets,” said the person who asked not to be named.

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