I sell steel and business has been booming. Like lumber our prices skyrocketed and breifly plate was limited. From when I started in September of 2020 to end of last year tubing had tripled. Stock seems to be good now and pricing is starting to drop a bit.
Most of our customers (contractors, fabricators etc) are super busy. Since we're in cottage country and people are able to work from home, means more people are spending time away from the city and living in the cottages.
All steel has been crazy the last few months, stainless steel is nuts! I'm guessing futures must be falling as steel suppliers are offering 'deals' if we take big shipments today, when that's happened in the past it's because they are looking to dump stock. I wish were were getting the same deals on 304 stainless.
I saw an invoice the other day for 304 round tube and bar, I think it was somewhere around $6.30/lb.
My metal fab buddy says he is really reluctant to quote large projects with a firm price , in 15days the number can be up 20% . Alloys seem to be the worst.
Who would have guessed on custom extrusions the gap between carbon fibre and aluminum would be peanuts.
Had dinner last night with a banker that funds leasing companies, he cant keep ahead of the funding, a lot of people looking for money. And industrial leasing money is not really that cheap apparently .
My metal fab buddy says he is really reluctant to quote large projects with a firm price , in 15days the number can be up 20% . Alloys seem to be the worst.
Who would have guessed on custom extrusions the gap between carbon fibre and aluminum would be peanuts.
Had dinner last night with a banker that funds leasing companies, he cant keep ahead of the funding, a lot of people looking for money. And industrial leasing money is not really that cheap apparently .
When I was selling copper cable there were escalation clauses because the need for the product could lag the bidding process by years.
With housing today, a person pre-buys a piece of a condo and a year or two later the copper and aluminum wiring, aluminum windows, steel components go in along with trim, finishes and cabinetry. Considering loopholes by developers, mortgage rate fluctuations, etc, do I smell the approach of a manure spreader?
Are our elected officials ahead of the curve on this to protect the constituents that elected them?
My metal fab buddy says he is really reluctant to quote large projects with a firm price , in 15days the number can be up 20% . Alloys seem to be the worst.
Who would have guessed on custom extrusions the gap between carbon fibre and aluminum would be peanuts.
Had dinner last night with a banker that funds leasing companies, he cant keep ahead of the funding, a lot of people looking for money. And industrial leasing money is not really that cheap apparently .
I get the fab guy, prices for steel is so volatile that if you win a job, you can't stage the buys in steel -- but it all now to guarantee your margin doesn't get clooned by a price increase.
Not sure the gap between aluminum and carbon fiber has dropped all that much. An extruded AL tube, .75x.0125x 96" runs around $5USD, same in carbon fiber would be close to $50. Some resins have gone stupid in price.
I can see the leasing thing going bananas. A lot of companies are bringing production in house because of supply chain issues. When I could buy a but a part in China for $2, have it on my dock in 90 days with freight and brokerage adding $1 to my cost things were easy and quite frankly that would be the only option to be competitive.
These days that item costs $3 in China, has a 180-240 day lead time, and and freight / brokerage of $5/unit. Leasing a $200K welding cell for $4K a month is a no brainer if it gives me JIT components and makes the part cheaper than China..
My metal fab buddy says he is really reluctant to quote large projects with a firm price , in 15days the number can be up 20% . Alloys seem to be the worst.
Who would have guessed on custom extrusions the gap between carbon fibre and aluminum would be peanuts.
Had dinner last night with a banker that funds leasing companies, he cant keep ahead of the funding, a lot of people looking for money. And industrial leasing money is not really that cheap apparently .
My daughter is shopping for windows and I was surprised at the minimal difference in price of the frame material.
There's lots of private money out there sitting in banks at 0.25%. Inflation is 20 times that so why loan money to anyone if there's no financial incentive?
The reality is rates have to rise as a lot of people are not into the stock market. My brother lost a bundle on Bre-X and would never want to see a stock broker again in his life. He put all his eggs in the same basket so when the basket fell out of the helicopter.....
What are the loan sharking cheque cashing places charging? Borrow $200 for two weeks at 10%? Need a million or two for new machinery at those rates?
Is interest matching inflation reasonable for a safe venture?
Also, you always have some people on each side. Often even the same person predicts both directions. Allows easy cherry picking in the future when you link to the time you got it right.
Also, you always have some people on each side. Often even the same person predicts both directions. Allows easy cherry picking in the future when you link to the time you got it right.
Talked with a buddy last night , he should be retired but created a business polishing yachts. Hamilton harbour commission has an enormous new heated warehouse where a lot of GTA big boats get indoor storage. He works indoors all winter , alone, charging by the lineal foot and turns down clients because he can only polish so many.
Stoopid money out there. He's getting his nickel .
Talked with a buddy last night , he should be retired but created a business polishing yachts. Hamilton harbour commission has an enormous new heated warehouse where a lot of GTA big boats get indoor storage. He works indoors all winter , alone, charging by the lineal foot and turns down clients because he can only polish so many.
Stoopid money out there. He's getting his nickel .
I love hearing about these niche businesses. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm super stoked when people can find these kinds of opportunities.
I don't have this gene And I'm not sure it can be magically 'found' or 'turned on'. Or maybe life is good enough that I don't need to find it.
I recall someone around here mentioned their friend that was build sails for boats...then he started building engine covers for airplanes from the same material and was making a killing. Awesome stuff!
I love hearing about these niche businesses. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm super stoked when people can find these kinds of opportunities.
Me too. I always admire people who can lift themselves up when all around them, everyone else is whining and complaining that it can't be done, it's too hard, etc.
My buddy started a side hustle in 2018 creating online apps. It was meant as supplementary passive income to his day job, and he released 3 or 4 apps in a couple of years, did moderate business, $5K-$10K USD/year.
Then he realized there was a lot of work reproduced in developing each new app. So, a couple of years ago, he created a framework for rapid app development. Today, his development platform earns him $120K USD/year in passive income. He just quit his main job...
Not even 40-years old and he can now pursue anything he wants.
Super smart guy. And hard-working as well. That's a killer combo that's bound to conquer worlds.
Enterprise software, same ol same ol. I used to get senior and principal SAP consultants around $200-300/hr, now it's more around 250-300/hr and lot less in the pool. Some of my friends in the market are struggling to find "good" programmers, and I know few new grads with CS degrees from not so hot universities still looking to find a job.
So, best of times, worst of times kinda thing all around.
Enterprise software, same ol same ol. I used to get senior and principal SAP consultants around $200-300/hr, now it's more around 250-300/hr and lot less in the pool. Some of my friends in the market are struggling to find "good" programmers, and I know few new grads with CS degrees from not so hot universities still looking to find a job.
So, best of times, worst of times kinda thing all around.
Enterprise software, same ol same ol. I used to get senior and principal SAP consultants around $200-300/hr, now it's more around 250-300/hr and lot less in the pool. Some of my friends in the market are struggling to find "good" programmers, and I know few new grads with CS degrees from not so hot universities still looking to find a job.
So, best of times, worst of times kinda thing all around.
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And I'm not sure it can be magically 'found' or 'turned on'. Or maybe life is good enough that I don't need to find it.