Orders for Plate/Sheet, Strip Increased In March, Overall Operating Rate Exceeded Expectations

SHANGHAI, Apr 21 (SMM) – According to SMM survey, the operating rates of copper plate/sheet and strip enterprises averaged 77% in March, up 2.83 percentage points MoM and 4.75 percentage points YoY.

The average operating rate of large, medium-sized and small enterprises was 81.25%, 67.1% and 83.69% respectively (SMM surveyed 34 producers with a combined capacity of 2.42 million mt/year). The continued increase in the operating rates of some copper plate/sheet and strip manufacturers is in line with previous expectations.

During the traditional peak season, the stronger demand for connectors and power transformers bolstered the orders for copper plate/sheet and strip. Therefore, the average operating rate in March recovered more rapidly, surpassing the expected 76.61%.