SSAB is raising prices for flat steel by $40 per short ton

SSAB Americas has announced a $40 per short ton price increase for flat steel products on new orders with shipment dates after June 28. In contrast, Nucor Plate Group has decided to keep prices unchanged; the company will begin accepting orders for July starting May 15. This was reported by Steel Market Update.

For both manufacturers, the deadline for submitting July orders is June 5.

Nucor’s decision surprised the market. According to experts, this strategy is aimed at retaining customers and protecting against competition from imports. It is expected that other mills may follow Nucor’s example, despite SSAB’s attempt to raise prices.

At the same time, Nucor raised the spot price for hot-rolled coil (HRC) for consumers by $10 to $1,080 per short ton. Lead times will remain unchanged at 3 to 5 weeks.

As a reminder, in the first quarter of this year, Nucor increased total shipments of steel products from its steel mills to 7.028 million tons, a 9% year-on-year increase. The company’s steel mills’ capacity utilization for the period rose to 86% compared to 80% in the same period of 2025. The average external sales price per ton of steel products in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 14% year-on-year to $1,074 per ton.