Page 3 - ITAtube Journal 1 2023

Dr. Gunther Voswinckel President ITA
Dear colleagues from the Tube and Pipe industry, dear readers of the ITAtube Journal.
Many tube producers have presented record results in 2022 and 1st quarter 2023. The Corona pandemic is under control. Supply chains have largely been restored. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and its aftermath led to record demand for OCTG with the result that tube prices reached record highs. Now in 2023, the heated markets are cooling somewhat. Besides OCTG, other pipe market segments also offer interesting market potential. The automotive industry with its trend towards electromobility must compensate for the high weight of the batteries by making design adjustments to the chassis. Tubular products are an interesting constructive solution here. The construc- tion market also represents a great potential for tubular products. Building constructions with demanding statics, e.g. large spans or aesthetic requirements, are an ideal playing field for tubular products. Some regions, such as the USA and parts of Asia, show impressive examples of this. The transition to environmentally friendly production also offers numerous opportunities for technology suppliers to the tube industry.
The pipe industry could clap its hands of so many interesting and promising market opportunities if it were not for the ongoing geopoliti- cal risks, such as the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the increasing tensions between the USA and China, which put a damper on free international trade. Political interventions and the availability of cheap energy also pose challenges to our industry, especially as these burdens are unevenly distributed regionally in the industrial world.
However, the tube industry and its technology suppliers have already successfully overcome so many challenges that there is great confi- dence that the current challenges can also be overcome.
The International Tube Association ITA has successfully contributed to maintaining the exchange in our industry. The ITA is organising several webinars for our tube industry in the pandemic period 2020 - 2022.
In addition, we also participate in conferences organised by other renowned organisations with our tube market overviews.
This year, on 11th and 12th of May 2023, the ITA is organising a hybrid international conference in Düsseldorf entitled “Opportunities for
the pipe industry in turbulent times”, which will provide an excellent platform to discuss sustainable solutions for the pipe industry. The plant tour on 12th of May at the Benteler plant in Dinslaken entitled “Sustainable pipe production in a high-cost environment” is an inter- esting practical example of this. The conference is a good opportunity to exchange ideas with pipe manufacturers and technology providers of the pipe industry.
Yours faithfully
ITA Team 3
Foreword
ITAtube Journal May 2023