Reasons of graphite electrode price rising

30 Apr.,2024

 

Reasons of graphite electrode price rising

It has been one month since we resume work from New Year holiday. During these days, we are seeing the raw material prices are rising rapidly, not only carbon raw material but also metal materials. Especailly graphite electrode, it even rised USD150 per ton in one week. Investigate the reasons, we think there are the following points:

Reasons of graphite electrode pricegraphite electrode price rising

It has been one month since we resume work from New Year holiday. During these days, we are seeing the raw material prices are rising rapidly, not only carbon raw material but also metal materials. Especailly graphite electrode, it even rised USD150 per ton in one week. Investigate the reasons, we think there are the following points:


1. In 2020, the price of graphite electrodes was running at a low level, and the sales price was lower than the cost. In order to reduce losses, some production companies began to reduce production in the second half of 2020. As the epidemic situation in various countries has eased, the demand for graphite electrodes has risen, and the current inventory is reduced. However, the production cycle of graphite electrodes takes 6 months, resulting in insufficient inventory.


2. Affected by the epidemic, the market economy has declined, and China has reduced crude oil smelting. As a result, the output of petroleum coke, a by-product of crude oil smelting, was affected, the supply is less than demand, and the price skyrocketed. The production cost of graphite electrodes using petroleum coke as the main raw material has increased significantly.


3. Since last month, to control carbon emissions, China government began to ration the power supply and strictly monitor the carbon emission of production enterprised. Affected by these, industrial enterprises have to partially shut down or reduce production capacity. Therefore, it is very difficult to increase the yield of graphite electrodes in a short time.  


Influenced by raw material fluctuation, prices of our most products - semi coke, met coke, electrode paste, graphite electrode, CPC, GPC, anode... are adjusting too, please contact us(kelly@electrodepaste.com, +86 13676919471) freely for latest offer. 

Graphite Electrode : Graphite India/HEG - Not-so-Hidden Gems

Here is some analysis on HEG vs Graphite India on current quarter’s performance as well as what can be expected going forward.

a) Standalone Revenue performance: HEG posted 1293 crores in revenues in Q4. Going by the company specified utilization of 85%, the company has sold 17000 tons of graphite electrodes at a sizable $11700 per ton, which is more than 4 times the price in early-2017.

GI: GI posted revenues of 1152 crores in revenues as pertaining to graphite electrodes. Given the company specified utilization of 100%, it has sold 20000 tons at $8860 a ton. This is what GI was referring to when they said that they have legacy contracts and therefore the lower rates.

HEG has played the graphite electrode upcycle well. They stopped low priced long-time range contracts much earlier than GI. But starting next quarter, we will see some similarity between HEG and GI

b) Cost of Needle coke: HEG again played this well. They stocked up on needle coke when it was at a low price, identifying the upcycle really well. At a cost base of 150 crores, the price of materials consumed works out to only $ 1320 per ton, which is primarily driven by needle coke
GI: GI, with a cost base of 300 crores, has paid approximately $2300 per ton for the price of materials consumed

c) GI has the same employee benefits as HEG and both are debt free as of today. The depreciation costs are negligible. GI has approx. 20 crores higher fuel and supply costs and an additional 30 crores in other expenses and consumption of spare parts, but this could be driven by the incremental sales of 3000 tons relative to HEG. GI’s subsidiary performance was not upto the mark this quarter but this will change starting next quarter according to the CEO

d) Here is where things will change quite a bit: The cost of graphite electrodes has shot up to $17000 per ton. The spot rates are even higher. This is as per HEG’s CEO. For HEG, even if cost of materials consumed goes up 5 times more than the current quarter, the incremental costs will be taken care of by the incremental revenue, and HEG can still post the same profit and EPS as it posted today.

e) Graphite India’s revenue will increase even more and approximately double as the legacy contracts expire, based on above numbers. The subsidiary will further add 20% to the topline, but will have additional manufacturing costs as it is located in a developed country (Germany). Since the needle coke manufacturers have moved to quarterly contracts due to increased demand, the cost structures of both GI and HEG will remain the same. GI might make more profits due to higher capacity starting next quarter

f) All the above is contingent on graphite electrodes prices being high and this needs to be closely watched.

g) GI has an edge with respect to the following parameters: 1) It has cash and financial assets worth approx. 1275 crores while HEG has 250 crores (Book value of GI is 850 crores higher). 2) It is better vertically integrated and has inhouse Calcined Petroleum Coke manufacturing that is used in electrode manufacturing and 3) It has already invested in value added carbon products used in auto, aerospace, chemical and other industries while HEG has now started doing so.

Disclosure: Hold both HEG and GI in a ratio of 2:1


1. In 2020, the price of graphite electrodes was running at a low level, and the sales price was lower than the cost. In order to reduce losses, some production companies began to reduce production in the second half of 2020. As the epidemic situation in various countries has eased, the demand for graphite electrodes has risen, and the current inventory is reduced. However, the production cycle of graphite electrodes takes 6 months, resulting in insufficient inventory.


2. Affected by the epidemic, the market economy has declined, and China has reduced crude oil smelting. As a result, the output of petroleum coke, a by-product of crude oil smelting, was affected, the supply is less than demand, and the price skyrocketed. The production cost of graphite electrodes using petroleum coke as the main raw material has increased significantly.


3. Since last month, to control carbon emissions, China government began to ration the power supply and strictly monitor the carbon emission of production enterprised. Affected by these, industrial enterprises have to partially shut down or reduce production capacity. Therefore, it is very difficult to increase the yield of graphite electrodes in a short time.  


Influenced by raw material fluctuation, prices of our most products - semi coke, met coke, electrode paste, graphite electrode, CPC, GPC, anode... are adjusting too, please contact us(kelly@electrodepaste.com, +86 13676919471) freely for latest offer. 

Graphite Electrode : Graphite India/HEG - Not-so-Hidden Gems

Here is some analysis on HEG vs Graphite India on current quarter’s performance as well as what can be expected going forward.

Reasons of graphite electrode price rising

It has been one month since we resume work from New Year holiday. During these days, we are seeing the raw material prices are rising rapidly, not only carbon raw material but also metal materials. Especailly graphite electrode, it even rised USD150 per ton in one week. Investigate the reasons, we think there are the following points:


1. In 2020, the price of graphite electrodesgraphite electrodes was running at a low level, and the sales price was lower than the cost. In order to reduce losses, some production companies began to reduce production in the second half of 2020. As the epidemic situation in various countries has eased, the demand for graphite electrodes has risen, and the current inventory is reduced. However, the production cycle of graphite electrodes takes 6 months, resulting in insufficient inventory.


2. Affected by the epidemic, the market economy has declined, and China has reduced crude oil smelting. As a result, the output of petroleum coke, a by-product of crude oil smelting, was affected, the supply is less than demand, and the price skyrocketed. The production cost of graphite electrodes using petroleum coke as the main raw material has increased significantly.


3. Since last month, to control carbon emissions, China government began to ration the power supply and strictly monitor the carbon emission of production enterprised. Affected by these, industrial enterprises have to partially shut down or reduce production capacity. Therefore, it is very difficult to increase the yield of graphite electrodes in a short time.  


Influenced by raw material fluctuation, prices of our most products - semi coke, met coke, electrode paste, graphite electrode, CPC, GPC, anode... are adjusting too, please contact us(kelly@electrodepaste.com, +86 13676919471) freely for latest offer. 

Graphite Electrode : Graphite India/HEG - Not-so-Hidden Gems

Here is some analysis on HEG vs Graphite India on current quarter’s performance as well as what can be expected going forward.

a) Standalone Revenue performance: HEG posted 1293 crores in revenues in Q4. Going by the company specified utilization of 85%, the company has sold 17000 tons of graphite electrodes at a sizable $11700 per ton, which is more than 4 times the price in early-2017.

GI: GI posted revenues of 1152 crores in revenues as pertaining to graphite electrodes. Given the company specified utilization of 100%, it has sold 20000 tons at $8860 a ton. This is what GI was referring to when they said that they have legacy contracts and therefore the lower rates.

HEG has played the graphite electrode upcycle well. They stopped low priced long-time range contracts much earlier than GI. But starting next quarter, we will see some similarity between HEG and GI

b) Cost of Needle coke: HEG again played this well. They stocked up on needle coke when it was at a low price, identifying the upcycle really well. At a cost base of 150 crores, the price of materials consumed works out to only $ 1320 per ton, which is primarily driven by needle coke
GI: GI, with a cost base of 300 crores, has paid approximately $2300 per ton for the price of materials consumed

c) GI has the same employee benefits as HEG and both are debt free as of today. The depreciation costs are negligible. GI has approx. 20 crores higher fuel and supply costs and an additional 30 crores in other expenses and consumption of spare parts, but this could be driven by the incremental sales of 3000 tons relative to HEG. GI’s subsidiary performance was not upto the mark this quarter but this will change starting next quarter according to the CEO

d) Here is where things will change quite a bit: The cost of graphite electrodes has shot up to $17000 per ton. The spot rates are even higher. This is as per HEG’s CEO. For HEG, even if cost of materials consumed goes up 5 times more than the current quarter, the incremental costs will be taken care of by the incremental revenue, and HEG can still post the same profit and EPS as it posted today.

e) Graphite India’s revenue will increase even more and approximately double as the legacy contracts expire, based on above numbers. The subsidiary will further add 20% to the topline, but will have additional manufacturing costs as it is located in a developed country (Germany). Since the needle coke manufacturers have moved to quarterly contracts due to increased demand, the cost structures of both GI and HEG will remain the same. GI might make more profits due to higher capacity starting next quarter

f) All the above is contingent on graphite electrodes prices being high and this needs to be closely watched.

g) GI has an edge with respect to the following parameters: 1) It has cash and financial assets worth approx. 1275 crores while HEG has 250 crores (Book value of GI is 850 crores higher). 2) It is better vertically integrated and has inhouse Calcined Petroleum Coke manufacturing that is used in electrode manufacturing and 3) It has already invested in value added carbon products used in auto, aerospace, chemical and other industries while HEG has now started doing so.

Disclosure: Hold both HEG and GI in a ratio of 2:1

a) Standalone Revenue performance: HEG posted 1293 crores in revenues in Q4. Going by the company specified utilization of 85%, the company has sold 17000 tons of graphite electrodes at a sizable $11700 per ton, which is more than 4 times the price in early-2017.

GI: GI posted revenues of 1152 crores in revenues as pertaining to graphite electrodes. Given the company specified utilization of 100%, it has sold 20000 tons at $8860 a ton. This is what GI was referring to when they said that they have legacy contracts and therefore the lower rates.

HEG has played the graphite electrode upcycle well. They stopped low priced long-time range contracts much earlier than GI. But starting next quarter, we will see some similarity between HEG and GI

b) Cost of Needle coke: HEG again played this well. They stocked up on needle coke when it was at a low price, identifying the upcycle really well. At a cost base of 150 crores, the price of materials consumed works out to only $ 1320 per ton, which is primarily driven by needle coke
GI: GI, with a cost base of 300 crores, has paid approximately $2300 per ton for the price of materials consumed

c) GI has the same employee benefits as HEG and both are debt free as of today. The depreciation costs are negligible. GI has approx. 20 crores higher fuel and supply costs and an additional 30 crores in other expenses and consumption of spare parts, but this could be driven by the incremental sales of 3000 tons relative to HEG. GI’s subsidiary performance was not upto the mark this quarter but this will change starting next quarter according to the CEO

d) Here is where things will change quite a bit: The cost of graphite electrodes has shot up to $17000 per ton. The spot rates are even higher. This is as per HEG’s CEO. For HEG, even if cost of materials consumed goes up 5 times more than the current quarter, the incremental costs will be taken care of by the incremental revenue, and HEG can still post the same profit and EPS as it posted today.

e) Graphite India’s revenue will increase even more and approximately double as the legacy contracts expire, based on above numbers. The subsidiary will further add 20% to the topline, but will have additional manufacturing costs as it is located in a developed country (Germany). Since the needle coke manufacturers have moved to quarterly contracts due to increased demand, the cost structures of both GI and HEG will remain the same. GI might make more profits due to higher capacity starting next quarter

f) All the above is contingent on graphite electrodes prices being high and this needs to be closely watched.

g) GI has an edge with respect to the following parameters: 1) It has cash and financial assets worth approx. 1275 crores while HEG has 250 crores (Book value of GI is 850 crores higher). 2) It is better vertically integrated and has inhouse Calcined Petroleum Coke manufacturing that is used in electrode manufacturing and 3) It has already invested in value added carbon products used in auto, aerospace, chemical and other industries while HEG has now started doing so.

Disclosure: Hold both HEG and GI in a ratio of 2:1