Thread: Availability of 50x50x2 angle

I can bend 900 lengths of 1.6 if that’s of any use to you

China,

I called into my steel bloke yesterday after some angle in various sizes and was told there is a "shortage" of certain sizes currently in OZ.....he told me that he has difficulty getting enough of the thinner sizes but plenty of thicker.

I was after 3mm stuff but had to end up with 5mm as could not wait and he wasn't sure when his orders would be met or the quality he eventually got. It's a production matter with supply he said so they are importing stuff and taking what is available - here's the issue where a lot of it is rubbish but all that's available. You can guess where that's coming from!

He's a pretty big local supplier and not a small fry by any means and I get all my welding supplies from him too......I've had some rods on back order with him for well over 6 months now and he's not alone there. Mind you I can get cheaper rods if I get stuck but I prefer to buy quality and spend less time cussing

That may be your answer with supply..????

Or it’s time to find a supplier that is actually interested in your business...

No it is not a supply issue it is no longer produced.

I was referring to rods being back ordered for 6months and a supplier up selling 5mm angle because he’s overstocked and giving you the ‘Bat stew virus supply issue’ line.

The forum's quote function can save a lot of confusion.

There is defiantly a steel supply issue. I'm having trouble sourcing some round bar sizes, and some hot rolled products for work, we spend a lot of $$$ a month so i doubt we are getting stuffed around.

Can definitely confirm major supply issues. Be advised to not expect any improvement this year.

Interesting. I work for Australia’s largest supplier of iron ore, production didn’t slow during COVID restrictions, it actually increased. Autonomous haulage in the Pilbara has been a massive game changer for every site that has adopted it, with all the major players heading down that path. One can only assume there is a massive pile of dirt from the Pilbara sitting on a dock somewhere in Asia.

Originally Posted by racingtadpole

Interesting. I work for Australia’s largest supplier of iron ore, production didn’t slow during COVID restrictions, it actually increased. Autonomous haulage in the Pilbara has been a massive game changer for every site that has adopted it, with all the major players heading down that path. One can only assume there is a massive pile of dirt from the Pilbara sitting on a dock somewhere in Asia.

It puzzles me too. the explanation I've been given is increased demand coupled with decreased production from the steel mills. Why the steel mills have decreased production, I couldn't say. I have been unable to get 25X25X1.6 Gal SHS since the second last week of February this year. Initially I was able to substitute 25X25X2 Gal, but that ran out by the time I needed another 25 lengths in late March and as of last week, the 1.6 still hasn't arrived in stock, but I was able to grab some more 2mm. Many bread and butter flat bar sizes are out of stock, but 50mm+ RHS and SHS aren't too badly affected thus far it seems.
Some imported steel is supplementing local production, but overall, it's not too rosy and we just need to wait it seems.

Originally Posted by racingtadpole

Interesting. I work for Australia’s largest supplier of iron ore, production didn’t slow during COVID restrictions, it actually increased. Autonomous haulage in the Pilbara has been a massive game changer for every site that has adopted it, with all the major players heading down that path. One can only assume there is a massive pile of dirt from the Pilbara sitting on a dock somewhere in Asia.

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

It puzzles me too. the explanation I've been given is increased demand coupled with decreased production from the steel mills. Why the steel mills have decreased production, I couldn't say. I have been unable to get 25X25X1.6 Gal SHS since the second last week of February this year. Initially I was able to substitute 25X25X2 Gal, but that ran out by the time I needed another 25 lengths in late March and as of last week, the 1.6 still hasn't arrived in stock, but I was able to grab some more 2mm. Many bread and butter flat bar sizes are out of stock, but 50mm+ RHS and SHS aren't too badly affected thus far it seems.
Some imported steel is supplementing local production, but overall, it's not too rosy and we just need to wait it seems.

Our economy is booming so they keep telling us...maybe construction is putting unprecendted demand on supplies?

Originally Posted by eskimo

Our economy is booming so they keep telling us...maybe construction is putting unprecendted demand on supplies?

Could possibly be, reinforcing steel has jumped massively in price and is tricky to come by at present.

Its going to be a bit harder for the producers to make steel if they can't put some commonsense on the table in regards to the BS C02 caper..

BHP 'sets new bar' with carbon cuts targeting steel mills, shippers https://www.smh.com.au/business/comp...10-p55ua3.html


China struggles to rein in steel production https://www.ft.com/content/c74c3674-...a-95d8c8f796db

Interesting, steel from hydrogen https://thenarwhal.ca/steel-coal-mining-hydrogen/