Indian Metals Range visits Asian Metal

In the afternoon of October 10, Marketing Direct Mr. Bart Udeshi of the Indian company Metals Range visited Asian Metal and held in-depth discussions with AM senior analyst Daphne Zhang on the current supply-demand status and future development trends of the magnesium metal market. Mr. Bart Udeshi pointed out that since the beginning of 2018 magnesium ingot supply has been tight and its prices have been rising as a result of strict environmental policies and labor shortage in Mg plants, especially in the case of 300g and high-purity magnesium ingot; the demand-supply status is expected not to change too much during the fourth quarter and prices to remain firm at a high level. Metals Range maintains a regular trading volume of 300tpm of magnesium ingot, of which 200t are ordinary material and 100t are 300g material; besides, its annual trading volume of high-purity magnesium ingot is about 100t.

In the discussions with AM analyst Anfisa Sun on production and exports of the current Chinese antimony ingot market, Mr. Bart Udeshi revealed that it becomes difficult for his company to purchase antimony ingot at low prices since China imposed stricter requirements on antimony ingot exports; and at present his company also pays attention to other markets such as Vietnam and Thailand in order to expand its purchase sources. His company maintains a monthly trading volume of about 60t of antimony ingot.

According to Mr. Bart Udeshi, prices for low-carbon and extra-low carbon ferrochrome remain stable now; though demand in the Chinese market is not great, its future prices are still expected to stabilize as a result of previous environmental policies and currently rising ore prices. Metals Range usually purchases 400tpm of LC and extra-low carbon ferrochrome from China, mainly consisting of C 0.03%, 0.06% and 0.1% materials. Metals Range can also source high-content HC ferrochrome from the Indian market and keeps a monthly trading volume of 1,000t if orders are received stably.

Mr. Bart Udeshi revealed that every month his company purchases 300t of manganese flake 99.7%min and 200t of manganese lump 96.5%min from the Chinese market; and AM analyst Alex Yuan introduced to him conditions of the overall Chinese manganese flake market as well as production status of major manganese regions such as Ningxia, Guizhou, Guangxi, Chongqing and Hunan.

Mr. Bart Udeshi revealed that, owing to declining quality of silicon metal delivered by Chinese traders, his company was purchasing less silicon metal from China and also began to buy directly from plants. He held discussions with AM silicon metal analysts Fangyuan Shi and Lucy Wu.

Mr. Bart Udeshi discussed with AM analyst Carol Lin on the current cadmium ingot market, pointing out that the Indian market saw increasing demand for cadmium ingot and his company expected to increase its monthly consumption volume from 200t to 700t in the future; and in China, its cadmium ingot output drops affected by environmental policies, and accordingly its exporting business on this material is inactive, but his company still hoped to establish cooperative relationship with more Chinese suppliers.

Mr. Bart Udeshi thought highly of information service provided by Asian Metal in terms of timeliness and accuracy, and also showed high interest in and planned to take part in the World Magnesium Forum to be held by Asian Metal in 2019.