[SMM Copper Pipe & Tube Operating Rate] SMM expects the operating rate of copper pipe & tube enterprises in June to be 69.01%, down 3.25 percentage points MoM and down 4.64 percentage points YoY.

[SMM Copper Pipe & Tube Operating Rate] In May, the operating rate of copper pipe & tube enterprises was 72.26%, down 8.01 percentage points MoM and down 9.5 percentage points YoY.

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has issued the preliminary results of its administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on large diameter welded pipe (LDWP) from Turkey, covering the period from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. The DOC preliminarily determined a net countervailable subsidy rate of 3.37% for the sole mandatory respondent, HDM Çelik Boru Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., which also applies to its affiliate HDM Spiral Kaynakli Celik Boru A.S. The all-others rate established in the original investigation remains unchanged at 3.72%, while the review was rescinded for 11 companies that had no reviewable entries during the period. The final results are expected to be issued within 120 days. The market impact suggests that the US continues to tightly enforce its trade defense mechanisms to insulate domestic pipe and tube manufacturers. Although the subsidy rates of 3.37% to 3.72% are relatively moderate, they will continuously squeeze the profit margins of Turkish LDWP exporters, potentially forcing them to recalibrate their North American pricing strategies or redirect export volumes to alternative regional markets.

【SMM Steel】The USDOC's preliminary AD administrative review found that UAE exporters sold circular welded carbon steel pipes in the US at below normal value during the Dec 1 2023 to Nov 30 2024 review period. Preliminary weighted-average dumping margins: 3.15% for Conares Metal Supply Limited; 6.16% for THL Tube and Pipe Industries LLC KHK Scaffolding and Formwork LLC and Universal Tube and Pipe Industries FZE; and 5.50% for TSI Metal Industries L.L.C. K.D. Industries Inc. and both Ajmal Steel Tubes & Pipes branches. Interested parties may now submit comments.

【SMM Steel】India's Venus Pipes and Tubes Limited commenced commercial operations at a new fittings facility and expanded its seamless pipes and tubes capacity in Dhaneti, Gujarat, on May 26, 2026. The company added 4,200 tonnes per annum of seamless capacity in this stage, bringing total incremental seamless capacity to 6,000 tpa when combined with 1,800 tpa commissioned in November 2025, exceeding the original 4,800 tpa target. The new fittings unit expands the company's value-added product mix, targeting traditional sectors such as power, oil & gas, chemicals, and engineering, as well as new fields like data centers and semiconductor production.

[SMM Steel] India’s Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Limited (KFIL) plans to invest $52 million to increase its seamless steel tube production capacity from 371,000 tonnes/year to 400,000 tonnes/year. The company is also developing solar power projects expected to generate annual savings of around $10 million and plans to complete the integration of Oliver Engineering, a casting and machining company acquired in 2023. The move reflects KFIL’s continued focus on capacity expansion, cost optimization, and downstream value-added steel products.