Maruichi Steel Tube to Hike Square Pipe Price by 5,000 Yen/t

Maruichi Steel Tube announced on Monday the firm increases the selling price by 5,000 yen per tonne for pipe products including square pipe and colored square pipe effective on March 1st shipment. The firm tries to improve the lowered price level along with covering expected higher hot rolled coil price. The firm eyes price hike for all items in and after April.

The price level decreased widely for large diameter square pipe, mid- and small-sized square pipe and colored square pipe when Japanese building demand keeps very low level for years. The price down is more than the down for hot coil price.

Japanese integrated and electric furnace steel makers already increased the selling price for H-beam and other building steel products. Hot coil supply gets tighter when domestic steel makers increase the export to emerging countries including China and Southeast Asian countries.

Maruichi Steel Tube concerns potential cost up for hot coil while the firm tries to secure the hot coil to keep stable pipe shipment. The firm decided the price hike to keep sustainable operation.