63% of Copper Pipe/Tube Producers Expect Orders to Shrink in July

SHANGHAI, Jul. 16 (SMM) – 63% of the 20 copper pipe/tube producers recently surveyed by SMM expect their orders to shrink in July.

Output and sales of rotary compressor, a major contributor to refrigeration copper pipe/tube consumption, fell 5.3% and 7.6% on the month, respectively, in June. Inventories of such product, in contrast, jumped 10.91% from a year ago. These data may presage sluggish consumption for copper tube/pipe and compressor in July.

Moreover, some manufacturers expanded marketing efforts to other regions to grapple with slackening demand and intensifying competition. This forced those producers reluctant to sell at discount to cut production.

The remaining 37% anticipate little change in orders this month. These producers will maintain normal production after cutting output dramatically in June. A few air-conditioner manufacturers began to slow production against poor sales. Demand for copper pipe/tube usedfor central air-conditioner manufacturing and air-conditioner tube maintenance remains stable, though. Some copper tube/pipe producers plan to adjust the structure of order books slightly to meet output target for July.