15th Dec 2024 Titanium Market Report: Rising Inventory

Sponge Titanium Market Impacted by Multiple Factors

According to market research, the latter half of this year has seen a prolonged low in 海綿鈦 prices, coupled with sluggish downstream demand and increasing production capacity. These factors have led to record-high inventory levels for titanium material manufacturers. Some large enterprises now hold inventories exceeding 1,000 tons, while small- and medium-sized enterprises have also reached hundreds of tons. Recently, downstream procurement has sharply declined due to economic uncertainties and the holiday season abroad (Christmas and New Year), further exacerbating the pressure on manufacturers. The pre-Spring Festival market and enterprise crisis are becoming increasingly apparent.

Possible Changes in Sponge Titanium Prices

In November, sponge titanium prices rose by approximately 7%. However, downstream enterprises showed low acceptance levels, resulting in significantly reduced procurement volumes. To break the deadlock and boost sales, sponge titanium producers are planning to take measures to stimulate the market before the Spring Festival. Enterprises should closely monitor market trends and seize opportunities accordingly.

Decline in Downstream Market Demand

In terms of sales, the titanium material market has shown no significant signs of improvement over the past week. Downstream customers continue to exhibit weak demand for titanium materials, with low purchasing willingness. Some customers have indicated that due to economic uncertainties, they prefer to adopt a wait-and-see approach and reduce non-essential procurement. This has increased the sales pressure on titanium suppliers, leading some manufacturers to halt or reduce production.

High Costs and Narrowing Profit Margins

Small- and medium-sized titanium material manufacturers are facing a critical survival moment. In recent years, manufacturers have heavily invested in equipment upgrades, significantly raising the industry’s entry threshold, with investments of tens of millions of yuan (millions in USD and EUR) now required to enter the field. This has led to a sharp increase in production costs. Simultaneously, the growth in market demand has not matched the rise in production capacity, causing intensified industry competition and significantly reduced processing fees. This vicious cycle has exacerbated imbalances in industry development, further compressing profit margins.

Titanium Market Performance This Week

海綿鈦
- Prices remain stable, but sales difficulties persist, with fewer orders.
- 年級 0: $6,160–$6,300/ton (€5,720–€5,850/ton);
- 年級 1: $6,020–$6,160/ton (€5,580–€5,720/ton).
- Actual transaction prices are slightly lower.
Titanium Ingots
- Rising inventories and market turmoil have caused wide price variations.
- Pure titanium ingots: $7,420–$7,560/ton (€6,910–€7,050/ton);
- TC4 鈦合金 ingots: $7,840–$8,120/ton (€7,280–€7,540/ton).
Titanium Scrap
- Increased inquiries, with some enterprises selling at low prices.
- Pure titanium scrap: ~~$3,500/噸 (~~€3,250/ton);
- TC4 alloy scrap: ~~$3,080/噸 (~~€2,860/ton).
Titanium Slabs
- Fewer orders, but prices remain stable.
- Pure titanium slabs: $8,120–$8,680/ton (€7,540–€8,070/ton), with ample spot supply.
Titanium Hot-Rolled Plates (Coils)
- Reduced downstream demand and greater sales difficulties.
- Pure titanium hot-rolled coils: $9,100–$10,220/ton (€8,450–€9,490/ton);
- Hot-rolled plates: $9,520–$10,500/ton (€8,870–€9,780/ton).
Titanium Rods and Wires
- Stable market demand and rising order prices.
- Pure titanium rods: $16,800–$19,600/ton (€15,600–€18,200/ton);
- Titanium alloy rods: $25,200–$30,800/ton (€23,400–€28,600/ton).
- Pure titanium wires (φ2–φ4 mm): $19.60–$22.40/kg (€18.20–€20.80/kg).
Titanium Pipes
- Stable market demand with unchanged prices.
- Pipes: $16,100–$16,800/ton (€14,900–€15,600/ton).
Titanium Alloys
- Rising demand with stable prices, showing slight variations across alloys.
Intermediate Alloys
- Aluminum-vanadium intermediate alloy prices remain stable, with 55% vanadium priced at approximately $16,100/ton (€14,900/ton).

Current price

類別	Item Name	規格	Price Range (CNY)	Price Range (美元)	Price Range (歐元)
海綿鈦	0 年級 (Domestic)		4.4–4.5 万元/吨	6160–6300 USD/ton	5720–5850 EUR/ton
	1 年級 (Domestic)		4.3–4.4 万元/吨	6020–6160 USD/ton	5590–5720 EUR/ton
	2 年級		4.2–4.3 万元/吨	5880–6020 USD/ton	5460–5590 EUR/ton
鈦錠	Pure Titanium TA1		5.3–5.4 万元/吨	7420–7560 USD/ton	6880–7020 EUR/ton
	Pure Titanium TA2		5.1–5.2 万元/吨	7140–7280 USD/ton	6620–6760 EUR/ton
	Titanium Alloy TC4		5.6–5.8 万元/吨	7840–8120 USD/ton	7280–7540 EUR/ton
Titanium Plate	Pure Titanium		5.8–6.2 万元/吨	8120–8680 USD/ton	7540–8060 EUR/ton
	EB Titanium Plate		5.6–5.8 万元/吨	7840–8120 USD/ton	7280–7540 EUR/ton
Titanium Roll	Hot Rolled Pure Titanium Plate		6.5–7.3 万元/吨	9100–10220 USD/ton	8440–9470 EUR/ton
	Cold Rolled Titanium	Pure Titanium	7.3–7.8 万元/吨	10220–10920 USD/ton	9470–10140 EUR/ton
Hot Rolled Plate	1.5 mm Pure Titanium		6.2–6.7 万元/吨	8680–9380 USD/ton	8060–8710 EUR/ton
	1.2 mm Pure Titanium		6.0–6.4 万元/吨	8400–8960 USD/ton	7800–8320 EUR/ton
Titanium Sheet	Standard Pure Titanium		7.5–8.5 万元/吨	10500–11900 USD/ton	9750–11050 EUR/ton
Cold Rolled Plate	TA10 (TiMoNi)		12–13 万元/吨	16800–18200 USD/ton	15600–16900 EUR/ton
	TC4 Titanium Alloy	Medium Standard Size	15–18 万元/吨	21000–25200 USD/ton	19500–23400 EUR/ton
Seamless Pipe	Titanium Alloy Pipe		80–85 元/公斤	11.20–11.90 USD/kg	10.40–11.05 EUR/kg
Welded Pipe	φ20–30 mm		120–125 元/公斤	16.80–17.50 USD/kg	15.60–16.25 EUR/kg
	Welded Pipe φ20–30 mm		115–120 元/公斤	16.10–16.80 USD/kg	14.95–15.60 EUR/kg
鈦棒	Pure Titanium Rod	φ20–40 mm	100–110 元/公斤	14.00–15.40 USD/kg	13.00–14.30 EUR/kg
	TC4 Polished Rod	φ20–40 mm	160–200 元/公斤	22.40–28.00 USD/kg	20.80–26.00 EUR/kg
鈦電線	Pure Titanium Wire	φ2–5 mm	140–220 元/公斤	19.60–30.80 USD/kg	18.20–28.60 EUR/kg
	TC4 Wire	φ2–5 mm	240–260 元/公斤	33.60–36.40 USD/kg	31.20–33.80 EUR/kg