AK Steel announces December surcharges, calculation modifications

AK Steel has advised its flat-rolled carbon steel customers that a $153 per ton surcharge will be added to invoices for products shipped in December, an increase of $4 from November's surcharge of $149 per ton. Also, the company has advised its electrical steel customers that a $260 per ton surcharge will be added to invoices for electrical steel products shipped in December, up $10 from the November surcharge of $250 per ton for those products. December surcharges for the broad range of stainless steel products that the company produces can be found on its Web site.

According to the company, the surcharges are based on reported prices for raw materials and energy used to manufacture the products, with the October purchase cost used to determine the December surcharges.

In addition, the company said it will modify its surcharge calculation for carbon steels, effective with shipments on and after January 1, 2005, to add cost elements beyond natural gas, carbon scrap, purchased slabs, and coal, which currently are included. Details of the modified carbon steel surcharge will be announced in mid-December. The company also said that the base used to calculate the scrap component of the electrical steel surcharge will be adjusted from $185 per ton currently to $140 per ton, effective with shipments on and after January 1, 2005.