Metals market wary of Boeing's 737-Max halt

All segments of the metals industry - especially aluminium and steel producers that supply the aerospace sector - are likely to be affected by Boeing's decision to suspend production of its grounded 737-Max airplanes in January 2020, an industry expert told Fastmarkets.

Metals suppliers who provide materials to airplane parts manufacturers on shorter lead times - within three to six months - will be most affected by the suspension, according to Chris Olin, senior research analyst at Cleveland-based  Longbow Research.
"The shorter-cycle materials will be hit first: aluminium sheet and plate and high-alloy steels," Olin told Fastmarkets in an interview on Tuesday December 17. "Suppliers with longer lead times of 12 months or more can be less concerned, say those providing titanium or nickel alloys."
"Boeing hasn't given guidance on how long it will suspend production, so it's hard to tell," Olin added.
Nor has the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) indicated when it will allow the plane model, which was grounded in March due to safety concerns, to return to the skies.

"Throughout the grounding of the 737 Max, Boeing has continued to build new airplanes and there are now...

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