Page 9 - ITAtube Journal 1 2022

in 2020 and 2021 as well as the virtual fair “ITA netForum” to substitute the cancelled TUBE Düsseldorf 2020 to keep the exchange of our industry ongoing. This August 2021 new technologies for the application of pipelines for hydrogen were successfully presented at a webinar organized by the ITA Indian chapter. The event was well attended by many col- leagues from the tube and pipe industry.
The overall economic recovery in 2021 had also positive effects on our tube and pipe industry. Interestingly the collapse of many supply chains supported the trend towards local supplies.
After 2020, a disastrous year for the tube and pipe industry, 2021 showed a slight recovery of the tube and pipe market of
+ 5% (Fig.1). USA (+10%) and Japan (+10%) had the best recovery. (It must be men- tioned that the tube production figures 2021 were partially estimated, since not all regions were providing their official data.)
The increased demand on one hand, and the fact, that some production facilities were put idle, led to a significant price increase for tubes and pipes on the spot market (Fig 2).
The pipe price index inclined by about 80% since January 2021. Anyhow long-term pipe contracts could not benefit from such pipe price increases on the spot market. By contrast to this, most pipe produces were suffering from the fact, that they were not able to pass on price increases for their production cost (e.g., increased energy and material prices).
In the major 3 tube and pipe produc-
tion segments, the following production volumes were reported. The seamless market recovered by about + 6%. The most significant incline was reported for seam- less pipes in the USA (+22%) and Japan (+15%). Welded pipes >16” OD (>406mm), with losses of up to 27% in 2020, the market recovered by about 8% in 2021. Japan reported the best recovery (+23%). Just Europe still had a major production decline (– 15%) in 2021 (Fig. 3).
Figure 1: World production Steel Tubes and Pipes
Source: ITATube Journal/Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahlrohr/ CMIE (partially estimated)
ITAtube Journal April 2022
Figure 3: World production Steel Tubes and Pipes > 16” OD 9
Source: ITATube Journal/Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahlrohr/CMIE (partially estimated)
Market information
Figure 2: Pipes and tubes Producer Price Index as per March 17, 2022