Tungsten carbide powder prices up
2005-03-04 08:45:33 【Print】
BEIJING (Asian Metal) 04-Mar-2005 As a downstream product of tungsten product series, tungsten carbide powder certainly can not stand out of the market without being influenced by the wide and continuous price hike for tungsten. Many reported that the supply of tungsten carbide powder has also kept tight since the end of China Lunar New Year, with prices jumping up again and again.
"Current prices for middle size tungsten carbide powder are in a range of rmb170-180/kg, while it was around rmb130/kg earlier this Feb and rmb110/kg at the end of this January," a senior sales manager from a major metal powder metallurgy producer in South China told Asian Metal. However, although the price of tungsten carbide powder keeps rising, the producer has no worry on the situation. "It is not a problem for us, for we can easily transfer the high cost to our consumers. As everyone knows that the tungsten market is rising. It does not need too much explaination."
The producer is fully running on a basis of 3tpy consumption capacity of tungsten carbide powder.
According to the source, Xiamen Goldeagle, the largest tungsten carbide powder producer in China, has again raised its price to over rmb180/kg, which is said to be the bottom line for the moment. While early last week, a sales manager of Xiamen Goldeagle confirmed with Asian Metal that its bottom price was rmb170/kg.
"We are planning to halt production later this month," an executive of a North China based cemented carbide producer told Asian Metal, adding, "After the long holiday, we did not purchase any new tungsten carbide powder. We had thought the price of rmb140-150/kg was too high when we just come back to work before last week, but now even at a price of over rmb160/kg, we can not get."
The smelter consumes 1tpm tungsten carbide powder presently on a basis of 3tpm consumption capacity, for it is hard to raise its hard alloy product prices.
