Metal Bulletin is pleased to announce details of the 23rd International Ferro-Alloys Conference.  Once again, all those interested in the ferro-alloys marketplace will gather in Monte Carlo to discuss the highlights of 2007 and discuss what lies in store for 2008.   Over 500 delegates are already registered.

The ferro-alloys market has always been unpredictable, but the strong start to 2007 is expected to continue with a buoyant 2008 predicted. This year’s conference will examine the market dynamics in the industry. One of the key talking points in the industry will again be thrashed out by our panel of leading industry experts: with the ever increasing growth in consumption of raw materials where are the new projects and what strategies are in place to fulfil growing demand?

This year has seen lots of movement within the ferro-alloys industry and this conference will hear presentations from the leading analysts in the industry all discussing these price movements and future trends. With prices of manganese ore and chromium ore soaring on the back of high Chinese demand, manganese ferro-alloy prices have increased nearly 50 percent from the start of the year. Shortages in ore and the insatiable demand for ferro-chrome from the stainless steel industry has been stretching supply from the South African chrome miners and India’s limit on chrome ore exports has further increased prices. What does this mean for the stainless steel industry?

The use of molybdenum combined with manganese and nitrogen, has gained reputation as a suitable substitute for nickel-based stainless steel. It's this growing demand accompanied by less and less supply which has been driving the price of molybdenum higher. We'll be discussing whether this price escalation can continue. Nickel has hit record prices with speculation that supply may not meet the ever increasing demand. This demand outstripping supply situation has increased interest in substitution possibilities and China’s increasing use of pig nickel is leaving analysts wondering if nickel prices are set to fall in the second half of this year.

Favourable cost structures and the availability of raw materials is a key concern for everybody involved in the steel and ferro-alloys industry. All eyes are on China to see if increased export taxes and recently issued export licenses will continue to curb ferro-alloy exports. With fluctuating power costs and the rising cost of freight how are companies streamlining and increasing efficiency?


Speakers include:

  • Martin Abbott, CEO, London Metal Exchange, UK
  • Leon Westgate, Analyst, Standard Bank, UK
  • Pekka E Purra, Senior Advisor Metals, Outokumpu Oyj, Finland
  • Amy Bennett, Senior Steel Editor, Metal Bulletin Research, USA
  • Stephen Turner, CEO, International Ferro Metals Limited, Australia
  • Vivek Agarwal, Director, Visa Steel, India
  • George Song, President, Shanxiang Minmetals, USA
  • Arnoud Willems, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP, Belgium
  • Andrey Pupchenko, Head of Raw Materials Research, Metal Expert Research Group, Ukraine
  • Dr K S Harlow, The Vanadium Consortium, Belgium
  • Nadia Vinck, Scientific Expert, Euro Alliages, Belgium