Turkish steelmaker Kardemir has secured strong order volumes in its latest billet sales round, supported by tighter regional supply and firmer raw material costs.
The producer offered S235JR-grade billet at USD 525 per ton EXW and B420-grade billet at USD 530 per ton EXW, both USD 10 per ton higher than in the previous sales round.
Market insiders said Kardemir received healthy bookings despite the price increase, as buyers faced limited alternative supply options following renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have disrupted regional logistics. At the same time, rising scrap prices continued to support higher billet offers from Turkish producers.
Founded in 1937, Kardemir has an annual production capacity of around 3.5 mln tons, producing billets, blooms, rebar, wire rod and profiles from its facilities in Karabuk.