Graphite Electrodes (UHP, HP, RP) & Needle Coke

EAF electrodes by grade, diameter, resistivity and nipple; needle coke as the UHP feedstock

A graphite electrode carries the current that melts scrap in an electric arc furnace, and it is consumed while it does it, so an EAF or ladle-furnace shop buys electrodes every month by grade and diameter. Grade follows the power the furnace runs at: regular power (RP) for small and ladle furnaces, high power (HP), and ultra-high power (UHP) for modern high-current EAFs. A 600 mm UHP electrode is typically specified at electrical resistivity of 5.8 µΩ·m or less, flexural strength of at least 8.3 MPa for the body and 20.7 MPa for the joint, bulk density of at least 1.68 g/cm³, a thermal expansion coefficient of 1.8 × 10⁻⁶/°C or less (100–600 °C) and ash of 0.3% or less, in lengths of 2,400–2,700 mm, carrying roughly 60,000–90,000 A. Each column is joined by a threaded nipple, which is bought with the electrode and to the same grade, because the joint is where columns break. Diameters from 350 to 750 mm are matched to the furnace's transformer and electrode arms.

UHP electrodes are made from needle coke, the premium, highly ordered coke that gives low thermal expansion. It comes in two kinds: petroleum-based needle coke, made by Phillips 66 in the USA and UK, Seadrift in the USA and Japanese producers, and coal-tar pitch needle coke from Japanese, Chinese and Indian makers including Mitsubishi Chemical and Indian Oil. Calcined needle coke is declared with calcined petroleum coke under HS 2713.12, where UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations total about USD 2.47 billion for all calcined coke, led by the USA at 43.5% and China at 24.1%. Electrodes are declared under HS 8545.11, where 2024 export declarations total about USD 2.04 billion, led by China at 37.4%, Spain at 12.7%, Japan at 11.5% and India at 10.7%, with the Netherlands, France, Germany, the USA and Malaysia following. Trade remedies apply in the United States: the antidumping order on small-diameter graphite electrodes from China was continued after the 2025 sunset review, and antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on large-diameter electrodes from China and India are running, with a preliminary countervailing duty rate of 103.49% on China announced in July 2026 and final determinations due by 7 December 2026. On the export side, China's controls on graphite items apply to specified high-purity and high-strength graphite, with some measures suspended until November 2026; the producer confirms whether a licence applies to the item before shipment. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers electrodes and nipples against the producer's test certificate, with SGS, Bureau Veritas or Intertek inspection of dimensions, resistivity and density on request, a certificate of origin, and export licence documents where the origin requires them. Electrodes ship in wooden crates in 20- or 40-foot containers on FOB, CFR and CIF terms. Price is agreed per lot on grade and diameter; Fastmarkets, Argus and SMM publish electrode and needle coke assessments that buyers use as references. Send your furnace size, grade, diameter, nipple type and monthly consumption and we will work the producer to it.

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices coal and petcoke bulk freight on LaycanDesk.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.