STEEL INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1937, Page 12

STEEL INDUSTRY

ACTIVITY IN BRITAIN Great activity rules in all branches of the iron and steel industry in Britain. In several departments the producers are unable to do more than meet current obligations, and a real scarcity prevails, states a recent report of the London Iron and Steel Exchange. No relief has been experienced in the foundry pig-iron market from the stringent conditions which have been in force recently, and, although the makers are endeavouring to meet the situation by rationing their customers, some inconvenience has been caused, and in several cases lower grades of iron have been taken as substitutes for those generally used. Supplies of hematite iron are also restricted, and although heavy deliveries are being made to the steel works, the future is regarded with some concern.

The works producing semi-finished material are operating at capacity, but are unable to meet fully the heavy requirements of the consuming industries. The situation in this department, however, is not so difficult as that prevailing before the additional quantities of Continental "semis" were imported. In the finished steel section of the market, all departments are working at practically full rate, and most of the works have sufficient orders on their books to enable them to maintain output at current rates for several months to come.

The demand on export account has shown some improvement of late, but the British steel makers have comparatively little available for overseas markets owing to the heavy pressure of home requirements.