The “Buy America” plan for federally subsidized projects is problematic for two major U.S. steel mills owned by foreign companies. The push to use American sourced steel products in infrastructure projects is keeping NLMK USA and California Steel Industries (CSI) out of the running for bids on projects—a problem the companies are hoping to rectify […]
The terms Buy America and Buy American are not interchangeable. CSI Executive VP, Finance & Administration Brett Guge explains the difference: “The longstanding historical standard for direct government procurement is “Buy American,” which requires only that the steel products used in government projects must have been “substantially transformed” in the U.S. “Buy America,” on the […]
There has been a debate which goes back to the 1930’s regarding what “Buy American” means when it comes to steel products. The issue is whether those mills who do not make steel, such as NLMK USA (in their Pennsylvania plant) and California Steel Industries as well as the former ThyssenKrupp plant in Calvert, Alabama […]
US steel service centers shipments for all steel products during the month of April were 3,087,300 net tons, an increase of 3.6 percent from the March shipments, and an increase of 4.9 percent from April 2013 levels. Steel inventories at the end of the month were 8,617,500 tons, an increase of 4.3 percent from the […]
Canadian steel service center shipments for all steel products during the month of April were 496,300 net tons, a decrease of 0.7 percent from the month before, and a decrease of 5.6 percent from April 2013. Inventories at the end of the month stood at 1,431,800 tons, a decrease of 2.7 percent from last month, […]
Gibraltar Industries has named Frank Heard as President and Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Heard, joins Gibraltar with more than 25 years of experience in the building products industry. He mostly recently was President of ITW Building Components Group, a division of Illinois Tool Works Inc. At ITW Heard was in charge of strategic direction […]
The following article was originally posted as a blog on the Steel Market Update (SMU) website: The Russian parent company to Severstal NA has responded to requests about the potential sale of their USA assets which include the Severstal Dearborn and Severstal Columbus flat rolled steel mills. Steel Market Update reported over the weekend that […]
We have been getting mixed messages regarding the Ecorse or USS Great Lakes steelmaking operations. Our sources have been advising us that there have been plans to bring the furnaces and #2 BOP back up over this past weekend (did not happen) and then again today (still not up). Other sources close to the situation […]
The C-5 blast furnace at ArcelorMittal Cleveland suffered a breakout at the taphole on Thursday, May 8. A spokesperson at ArcelorMittal says there were no injuries as a result of the incident and the furnace should be fully operational by the week of May 19. In the meantime, the mill will coordinate with other ArcelorMittal […]
The hotly contested air emission permit requested by Severstal Dearborn was approved on Monday by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The new permit does not increase the emissions levels that the plant is currently operating under but will reflect those emissions more accurately than was possible in 2007 when the previous permit was […]
ThyssenKrupp posted a positive net income for the first time in seven quarters. After aggressively shedding businesses and employees during the fiscal year, including the sale of the Alabama Calvert plant, ThyssenKrupp appears to have achieved a turnaround. The company hopes to break even for the 2013/2014 fiscal year and expects sales for the year […]
ArcelorMittal losses narrowed in the first quarter of 2014. The company posted a net loss of $200 million in the first quarter compared to $345 million in Q1 2013. First quarter EBITDA was $1.75 billion, an increase of 23 percent from Q1 2013. Sales of $19.8 billion were below Q4 and almost par with Q1 […]
The key highlight of first quarter was the Calvert acquisition, said ArcelorMittal CEO Lakshmi Mittal in the company’s first quarter earnings call. ArcelorMittal’s 50 percent ownership of AM/NS Calvert gives AM the capacity needed to supply AHSS solutions for the auto industry in the US and Mexico. ArcelorMittal has been focusing on light weight steels […]
Mark Millet, president and chief executive officer of Steel Dynamics Inc. has been named “Steelmaker of the Year” by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST). The award is presented annually to recognize notable leaders for their impact on the steel industry. Millet also received the AIST William T. Hogan SJ Lecture Award for […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Nucor Corporation announced today that Chad Utermark, Vice President and General Manager of Nucor-Yamato Steel Company, has been promoted to Executive Vice President of beam and plate products effective May 11, 2014. Joe Stratman, who has served as Executive Vice President of beam and plate products since 2007, will […]
Steel Market Update sources confirmed that the two Severstal North America (NA) steel mills are for sale. At 7.0 million tons of steelmaking capacity, Severstal NA is the fourth largest flat rolled steel producing mill in the United States. Rumors of the possible sale of the Dearborn and Columbus facilities had been circulating around the […]
In case you missed the special issue we put out on Saturday we have reproduced the article below: Steel Market Update sources confirmed that the two Severstal North America (NA) steel mills are for sale. At 7.0 million tons of steelmaking capacity, Severstal NA is the fourth largest flat rolled steel producing mill in the […]
On Tuesday of this week, Steel Market Update publisher, John Packard met with Saikat Dey, CEO of Severstal North America (NA), and discussed a wide range of topics including foreign steel, supply and demand issues, steel prices, the F-150 move to aluminum and much more. In the article below we will focus on Mr. Dey’s […]
John Correnti let loose strong criticism of the latest attempt by Nucor Steel to delay the Big River Steel project. Nucor attorney David Taggart told Osceola City council members on Tuesday that the company intends to file a lawsuit in federal court against Big River Steel under the Clean Air Act, according to a report […]
ArcelorMittal’s Canadian iron ore project may begin production as early as third quarter 2014. Last week the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development gave final approval for Baffinland Iron Mines, a 50/50 venture between ArcelorMittal and Nunavut Iron Ore, to commence operations. The mine is located in the Qikiqtani region of Nunavit, over 300 […]
More than 200 Ohio steel workers and supporters gathered at a rally outside US Steel Lorain Tubular Operations on May 5 to urge the federal government to protect the Northeast Ohio steel industry from unfair foreign competition. “Northeast Ohio’s steelmakers and workers can compete against anyone in the world—when given access to a level playing […]
Nine workers were injured on Monday when a roof collapsed at the former Bethlehem Steel (RG Steel) plant in Sparrows Point. The plant is in the process of being dismantled by Hilco Global and demolition contractor MCM Management Corp. The roof caved in around 10 am as workers were tearing down the building. Fire department […]
The $156 million judgment against Nucor, Reliance Steel & Aluminum, American Alloy Steel and JSW Steel (USA) will be delayed two weeks while the defendants file a motion for a new trial in the anti-trust lawsuit brought by MM Steel LLC. Last week US District Judge Kenneth Hoyt ruled that a $52 million jury verdict […]
A week-long strike was ended Sunday when steelworkers and Allied Tube and Conduit reached an agreement on a new contract. USW Local 9777, who have worked without a contract for the past year, accepted the new contract after Allied Tube and Conduit agreed to drop plans to freeze pensions, dictate which jobs employees work, and […]
Allied Tube & Conduit and members of USW Local 9777 reached an agreement on a new contract on Sunday, ending a week-long strike. The contract for USW Local 9777 expired in April 2013 and the company and union officials have been in negotiations for the past year. A compromise over the weekend led to contract […]
Damages in an anti-trust lawsuit against Nucor Corp, Reliance Steel & Aluminum, American Alloy Steel, JSW Steel and one individual defendant have been tripled to a final judgment of $156 million. US District Judge Kenneth Hoyt granted MM Steel LP’s motion to treble the $52 million jury verdict, rejecting motions by the defendants to delay […]
Steel Market Update was forwarded the following article by one of our contacts in Asia. The article quotes the China Iron & Steel Association (CISA) which reported high levels of debt within the Chinese steel industry. The Chinese appear destined to repeat what happened to the U.S. steel industry during the early 2000’s when many […]
Castrip has advised Steel Market Update that a new flat rolled mill using Castrip technology will be built in North America by an EAF mill other than Nucor. Castrip LLC has signed a license agreement to build and operate a plant utilizing a Castrip thin-strip casting process for an unnamed North American steelmaker. The facility […]
This story was one of the popular points of discussion at the recent Metals Industry Dinner held in Chicago on May 1, 2014. Castrip has advised Steel Market Update that a new flat rolled mill using Castrip technology will be built in North America by an EAF mill other than Nucor. Castrip LLC has signed […]
Latin American steelmaker, Ternium, turned in a positive quarter with net sales up 2 percent to $2.149 from fourth quarter and 1 percent from Q1 2013. Net income was $188.2 million compared to $174.7 in the fourth quarter, and $164 million in Q1 2013. Ternium net steel sales increased 1% to $2,149.4 million. Operating income […]