Outokumpu Americas, the Northern American subsidiary of the Finnish stainless steelmaker, is limiting sales of excess prime and secondary stainless steel material to preferred customers, according to an email seen by Metal Bulletin.
The move is likely to affect availability of stainless scrap for several buyers, market participants said. "We have selected a limited number of preferred customers for secondary and excess who we will work with to move any materials that are not consumed internally," the email, which was sent by Outokumpu to customers on February 4, read. Outokumpu will only send bid requests and inventory lists to preferred customers, the email read. Material that is not consumed internally refers to stainless scrap or excess coil or bar material, which cannot be sold to buyers as prime condition material, and...