The New York herald., 1921-12-25
Tin Plate Activity Notable.

Full finished automobile body sheets
No. % gauge. continue 70 be quoted al
i.S5 cents, Pittsburgh base, and tha;
price and other prices. namely. three
cents for black sheets and four cents
for galvanized, arc remaining firm
Notwithstanding the slowing up OF de-
mand. Competition from plate makers
! still interferes with the firm adherence
TO the 2,25 cent price on blue annealed
sheets. \ little demand for export
mostly TO Japan, again is noted and
gauges of black sheets represented
therein are heavier than those taken by
that country in such large tonnages
during the last year. Announcement Is
made that no matter what happens 10
prices. black and galvanized sheet orders
now on the books will be shipped out
and billed at tho three and four cen,
levels respectively. In other words, nc
adjustments of those prices will be pos
sible
Steel market activity is perhaps more
pronounced In tin plate than IL is in any
ether commodity produced by finlshinJ q
mills. According to representative sell
ers certain large users are anticipating
requirements and material scheduled for
shipment in January is allowed 20 come
forward this month, which impcrts sta
continuation of the heavy buying rate
for several months to come. Several
plants of the leading interest are oper-
ating at 100 per cent, but its total aver
age is a little below 30 per cent. show
ing a gain of per cent. com pa red with
that of the preceding week. The aver
age OF the Independent producers Is es-
timated to be slightly higher than Il
was last week. running little more
than 70 per cent. of capacity.
Tin plate makers maintaining the A.75
price state that no interruption 10 their
trade has occurred through the practice
of few makers in quoting 10 cents and
even 10 cents a box under the market.
Large producers believe that they could
easily obtain their share OF the going
business by adopting O firmer price pol
ICY. particularly since $40 is said to
represent loss. A few makers who
have not accepted specifications for roll
ing during the last few weeks. the ma
teriai to bs shipped subsequent 20 jan
uary /. report that they have been main
tanning a high shipping rate In individ-
ual lots consisting of one carload TO five
carloads or more. The leading Interest
probably will maintain It's high operat-
ing rate for several months.
The semi-tinished steel market con-
tinues quiet and lacks strength. We're
It not for small tonnages OF sheet bars
placed frequently the market would be
destitute OF orders,
Title Interest In scrap.
Sellers in this district are having diff
ficulty in awakening interest In iron and
steel scrap, most miils curtailing their
already restricted buying. A local stcel
company which has shown activity OF
~
melting steel has issued Instructions that
no moro will be bough; for tire present
The West Penn steel Company is offer
ing 50 for machine shop turnings and the
weirton mills arc curtaiing open hearth
operations. thus requiring less scrap,
stocks I'm dealers hands remain large, as
very little has been moved in tho last
few months. Quotations in the main are
unchanged.
Although uscrs Of hoops, bands and
other strip steel 90 not know just whore
they stand ia relation 70 stocks and will
not purchase stable quantities until
aftor Inventories will have been taken. 81
few small sales have beon made recently
They usually represent 80 TO 100 tons
Some cooperagc interests have been is-
suing inquiries and prospects look
brighter for the first quarter OF 1922.
Prices remain unchanged at 20 2.25
cents. Pittsburgh base, on hoops, al
though In connection with bands com
petition stu prevails from barmakine
sources, which nre. quoting base OF 1.7s
cents. Bands, therefore, are quoted at
1.75 70 cents. base Pittsburgh.
Although a slight Improvement IN
noted in demand for nuts. bolts and riv.
cts. makers say II is hardly worth while
and has not been sufficient TO bring
about increased operating schedules.
Most plants are employing greatly re-
duced forces three or four days q wcekA
A general average OF the Industry In this
territory would DO between 20 and 40 pr
cent OF capacity. Demands are small.
and althovgh inquiries are current. slg-
able tonnagcs orc not under consldera
ion. nor viii they ha Until irvenlorics