Research

Forecasts and market analysis based on price assessments from Fastmarkets MB and Fastmarkets AMM

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Industrial & Structural Tube & Pipe

Industrial & Structural Tube & Pipe Market Tracker is no longer offered as a subscription service. However, our consultancy team can provide bespoke research into this industry. Please contact us with your specific requirements.

Industrial & Structural Tube & Pipe Market Tracker is the most complete and independent report to give you market analysis and price forecasting for the industrial & structural tube & pipe market.

Your monthly report includes:

  • Supply and demand analysis for the key mechanical and structural markets in North America, Asia, and Europe.   
  • Coverage of HSS, mechanical, precision, and piling markets in the key regions.
  • Forecasts of regional price movements and the supporting analysis 
  • Intelligence on activity by distributors and suppliers.
  • Tracking the capacity changes and enhancements with insight into how these changes will affect market dynamics.
  • Data on trade flows and consumption patterns and their relation to the markets
  • Analyze the major economic drivers of demand.  

Independent data including:

  • For the EU, pricing for seamless gas and water pipe, mechanical tube, precision tube and boiler tube as well as welded HSS, gas and water tube, precision tube, and structural LSAW with three-year history (depending on availability) and one-year forecast.  
  • Turkish export prices for HSS, gas and water pipe and structural spiral SAW
  • US HSS, seamless mechanical and seamless boiler tube prices with three-year history  and one-year forecast
  • South east Asia HSS and welded galvanized pipe export prices with one year forecast
  • Chinese HSS, spiral structural SAW prices, Seamless mechanical, seamless boiler tube and seamless stainless tube, with three-year history (depending on availability) and one-year forecast. 
  • North American apparent consumption of seamless and welded non-energy pipe by country and product type with three-year historical data.
  • Asian seamless and welded tube apparent consumption data by product and major country.
  • European seamless and welded tube apparent consumption data by product by major country.

All subscribers are eligible for regular individual consultations with the editor of the report.

      

Kim Leppold

Kim Leppold is a Senior Metals Analyst for Metal Bulletin Research. She is principally responsible for analysis of the North American steel markets and the global tube and pipe markets. She is editor of the Industrial & Structural Tube & Pipe Market Tracker, Welded Linepipe & OCTG Market Tracker and Seamless OCTG & Linepipe Market Tracker.  

Kim joined MBR in 2005, following a six-year stint as an Economist for Global Insight. While with Global Insight, she was responsible for overseeing the analysis and forecasting of the economies of the Southwest central United States and consulted on projects concerning economic development issues in regions of Arkansas and West Virginia.
 
Prior to joining Global Insight, Ms. Leppold served as a consultant for the steel and energy industries, providing commodity market analysis. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications and a Master of Science in Mineral Economics from the Pennsylvania State University.


Market Brief


1. Standard pipe

Seamless standard pipe is most commonly produced to the ASTM A 53 specification and is generally intended for the low temperature and low pressure conveyance of water, steam, natural gas, air, and other liquids and gases in plumbing and heating systems, air conditioning units, automatic sprinkler systems, and other related uses.

2. Mechanical pipe / precision tube

Mechanical and precision tube and pipes are used in industrial equipment manufacturing and the automotive sector. Tubes are made for specific applications and are primarily made to order.

3. Pressure pipe / boiler tube

Seamless pressure pipe is commonly produced to the ASTM A106 specification and is intended for the conveyance of water, steam, petrochemicals, chemicals, oil products, natural gas, and other liquids and gases in industrial piping systems. It may carry these substances at elevated pressures and temperatures and may be subject to the application of external heat.

Boiler pipe is commonly used as heat exchangers in power plants and made to a variety of international standards.  The pipe may also be rifled to increase the speed of flow. Common ASTM standards include A106, A179, A192, A199, A209, A210, A213 and A335.

4. Hollow structural sections (HSS)

HSS are predominantly used by the construction or OEM (Original equipment manufacturers) sectors. These tubes can be round, square or rectangular in shape. In the USA, these HSS are classified under the ASTM standards (ASTM A500 grade A/ grade B). In Europe, these HSS follow the EN standards (EN 10201-1/2), but there are typically 3 different classifications for HSS in Europe based on the grade of steel being used in the tube including, S235, S275 and S355. 

Globally major manufacturing regions for HSS include USA, Europe and China. Turkey is a major exporter of HSS both to Europe, Middle East & USA. Many CIS countries will also export HSS into Europe.

5. Welded precision tube and pipe

Welded precision tube is predominately used for automotive and furniture applications. Applications where precision tubes are being used in the automotive market include car seatbelts (the base of the seatbelt), airbags etc. Precision tube and pipe grades in the European market include EN 10305-2, cold drawn precision tubes, or EN 10305-3, standard non-drawn precision tube.