SHANGHAI, Jan. 15 (SMM) – 60% of Chinese copper tube/pipe producers surveyed by SMM believed their orders in January might not be greatly affected by the Chinese New Year holiday.

Air conditioner manufacturers stared producing for this year’s order after their enhanced effort in developing markets overseas and in China’s less-developed cities, buoying sales of copper tube/pipe. Some copper tube/pipe producers said they need to maintain normal production till March to fulfill these orders. Demand for refrigeration pipes might remain robust should export orders improve as expected in March. Otherwise, producers would start another round of destocking.