‘Hand-to-mouth’ raw material sourcing will be norm in 2020, sellers warn
By Davide Ghilotti
Published: Friday, 01 November 2019
Purchasing of refractory raw materials is expected to remain ‘hand to mouth’ into 2020, suppliers attending this week’s UNITECR 2019 refractories conference in Yokohama, Japan, warned.
- Further weakness expected
- Inventory levels kept low
- "Hand to mouth" purchasing
Owing to bearish macroeconomic conditions
affecting the main markets - including Europe, parts of Asia
and China - refractories producers expect to see further
weakness in the performance of their end markets, whether in
steelmaking or industrial.
Sourcing for raw materials will adapt...