The annual global steel scrap trade is about 105 million metric tons, while Turkey's reach in this international trade is about 60 million metric tons, said Sukru Celik, director of Belgian Scrap Terminal NV in Turkey, speaking at the 8th SteelOrbis Turkish Steel Market Conference held in Istanbul on November 29. With its total annual scrap consumption of 32 million metric tons, Turkey imports about 22 million metric tons of steel scrap, mostly from Europe, the US & Canada, Russia and the Mediterranean. Europe, the US and Russia, the main scrap suppliers to Turkey, are also major scrap users, Mr. Celik said, while going on to say that South Africa has started to sell steel scrap to Turkey lately, though it remains to be seen if this country will become one of Turkey's regular suppliers.
Mr. Celik stated that, although Turkish mills have significant pricing power in the scrap trade and while other buyers have to keep an eye on Turkish mills, the country lacks quality standards and this is impacting its effectiveness in steel scrap purchases. The BST executive also said that he does not support the initiative of some Turkish steel producers in forming a joint venture company, which would act as a pool through collective scrap purchases.