February service center shipments were almost exactly normal on a month/month basis though there were some bright spots. Daily shipments decreased by 0.6 percent from January. Since 2009 on average, February has decreased by 0.8 percent. Carbon steel shipments were 148,900 tons per day. The number of shipping days decreased from 21 to 20. Intake […]
Demand for HVAC products was coined as being “good” or “very good” by the wholesalers who participated in the monthly HARDI galvanized steel conference call. The wholesalers who spoke on the call earlier today reported strong first quarter sales for their full product line but a few complained of lower steel sales compared to year […]
Steel Dynamics expects a meaningful increase in first quarter profits. Earnings per diluted share are expected to be in the range of $0.77 to $0.81 compared to $0.08 per diluted share in Q4 2016 and $0.26 per diluted share in Q1 2016. In first quarter guidance comments, SDI attributed stronger results to higher shipments and […]
More complications for Essar Steel Algoma as it nears a deadline to emerge from the CCAA protection. Union disputes and lawsuits continue to frustrate the process. Labor Negotiations Union workers were reportedly outraged by a mandate by Superior Court Justice Frank Newbould requiring parties involved in the collective agreement negotiations to keep a lid on […]
Steel service centers in the United States have seen inventories reach a bottom after years of decline and appear to be slowly bouncing back (see graphic below). This appears to be true for all steel products combined as well as flat rolled, plate, and pipe & tube segments. During the month of February 2017, U.S. […]
Total Canadian steel shipments for all products in February were 365,700 net tons, a decrease of 11.2 percent from the month before and a decrease of 7.8 percent from February 2017. Do keep in mind that total January shipments were at an 18 month high. Total steel inventories at the end of the month stood […]
Nucor Corporation increased its earnings guidance for first quarter 2017 to $1.10-$1.15 per diluted share, more than double its consolidated net earnings of $0.50 per diluted share in fourth quarter and well above analyst consensus of $0.69 EPS. Increased profitability is due to stronger performance of Nucor’s sheet and plate mills. Nucor said in its […]
Ryerson Holdings saw a challenging year in 2016 with demand contracting but pricing improving. CEO Edward Lehner noted, “Carbon steel prices recovered from decade lows at the end of 2015, peaked in June of 2016, and deflated again in October of 2016 before starting in upward trajectory that has continued into the first quarter of […]
Stelco, the former US Steel Canada, took another procedural step on March 10 to facilitate the sale of the company to Bedrock Industries. Stelco filed its final Plan of Compromise, Arrangement and Reorganization with the Ontario Superior Court that addresses restructuring Stelco’s liabilities and the transaction with Bedrock. The plan “would result in the Company […]
US Steel announced it will permanently close the No. 6 Quench and Temper Mill at Lorain Tubular Operations. The line has been idle since March 2015 and will be permanently shut down by June 8. “This proposed action is a strategic decision for the company after considering a number of factors, including challenging market conditions […]
Essar Steel Algoma’s oppression case against Essar Global received mixed results in a decision by Superior Court Judge Frank Newbould. In a decision on Monday, Newbould agreed that the lease agreement made by Essar Global with the Port of Algoma (Portco) in 2014, was “unfairly prejudicial to, and unfairly disregarded, the interests of Algoma’s trade […]
The following analysis of the steel markets in China is from Beijing Metal Import & Export Co.,Ltd and is being reproduced by Steel Market Update with permission. We edited the original copy to assist our readers in understanding what the group is trying to relay to us. Here is what they had to say (edited […]
An antitrust lawsuit filed by indirect steel purchasers against ArcelorMittal USA, US Steel and other steel mills was dismissed in the US District Court of Northern Illinois last week. In 2008, Supreme Auto Transport LLC, based in Michigan, filed a complaint alleging that ArcelorMittal and others were among a group of steel producers who schemed […]
A US Steel worker was killed in an incident at Granite City Works on Sunday morning. The incident occurred in the rail yard around 10:00 am, said company spokesperson Erin DiPietro. No details were revealed concerning the nature of the incident and the name of the worker has not been released. Said DiPietro, “An investigation […]
Steel Market Update recently published a “letter to the editor” regarding the domestic mills need to compete in a world market. We received comments from a mill based source who asked they not be identified. The original letter is below with the response being the “bold” print below: I guess it’s fine for the US […]
An Ontario judge dismissed on Monday motions to reopen bidding for Essar Steel Algoma. Essar Capital Limited requested that SISP be reopened to allow Essar Global to submit a bid. Essar Global has the support of USW Locals 2251 and 2724 and Algoma retirees who asked the court for permission to continue discussions with Essar […]
Olympic Steel executives weighed in on steel demand, pricing, and government changes during the company’s earnings call last week. Olympic Steel CEO Michael Siegal attributes the rebound in steel pricing to “supply side dynamics combined with political optimism towards the business community after the very negative environment around the presidential campaign.” Said Siegal, “Entering 2017, […]
Steel Market Update received the following “Letter to the Editor” from a reader who in the past has been associated with companies supplying products to the domestic steel mills. With all of the articles being written about the industry from President Trump’s point of view we thought it a good idea to air a different […]
Big River Steel, the newest and most technologically advanced scrap recycling and steel production facility in the world, is officially open for business. According to David Stickler, Chief Executive Officer of Big River Steel, the first line went operational nineteen months after groundbreaking: “A world record time to start up a mill. We’ve invested […]
US Steel Corporation has promoted David B. Burritt to president and chief operating officer effective February 28, 2017. Mario Longhi, who served as president and chief executive officer, will continue as CEO and as a member of the board of directors. Longhi’s focus will be on the company’s strategic vision. Burritt will have executive responsibility […]
Workers at Essar Steel Algoma on Tuesday voted 98 percent in favor of striking if a satisfactory collective bargaining agreement cannot be reached. USW Local 2251, representing, 2100 workers in Sault Ste. Marie, has been working without a contract since July 2016. Essar Steel Algoma announced that Warren Winkler, the court appointed mediator, has scheduled […]
The US Steel will be in court on March 14 presenting oral arguments opposing the dismissal of antitrust claims in its Section 337 complaint against China. The US International Trade Commission initiated a Section 337 investigation on June 2, 2016 in response to a complaint by US Steel regarding the import of carbon and alloy […]
The following analysis of the steel markets in China is from Beijing Metal Import & Export Co.,Ltd and is being reproduced by Steel Market Update with permission. We edited the original copy to assist our readers in understanding what the group is trying to relay to us. Here is what they had to say (edited […]
Union members from USW Local 2251 are meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 28 for a strike mandate vote against Essar Steel Algoma. Local 2251, representing hourly workers, and Local 2724, representing salaried workers, hoped to join forces in monetary negotiations with Algoma but the idea was rejected by the company. Local 2724 president Lisa Dale told […]
US Steel Corporation is suing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for failing to complete the pollution permitting process for the company’s Minntac mining facility in Mt. Iron, Minn. US Steel filed a Mandamus claim which asks a judge to require MPCA to take action on a specific request. US Steel said it has been […]
The following article was provided to Steel Market Update (SMU) by steel service center: Kloeckner Metals. At our SMU Steel Summit Conference last year a Kloeckner executive pointed to changes in their digital footprint as being on the new opportunities facing the domestic service center industry. In the article below, Jonathan Toler of Kloeckner explains […]
On Wednesday, February 22, 2017, California Steel Industries (CSI) sent a letter to their customers advising them of their intention to adjust their extras used when pricing galvanized steels in various thicknesses and coating weights. LME Zinc pricing has been on a tear over the past year as it has moved from $0.80 per pound […]
Ternium announced today the purchase of 100 percent of Thyssenkrupp AG’s Brazilian steel mill CSA, Cia Siderúrgica do Atlantico SA. The sale is based on a September 30, 2016 valuation of EUR 1.5 billion (US$1.86 billion) that is subject to agreed adjustments at closing. Ternium expects to disburse EUR 1.26 billion ($1.33 billion) for the […]
The following analysis of the steel markets in China is from Beijing Metal Import & Export Co.,Ltd and is being reproduced by Steel Market Update with permission. We edited the original copy to assist our readers in understanding what the group is trying to relay to us. Here is what they had to say (edited […]
North Star Bluescope Steel reported underlying EBITDA in the first half of FY 2017 of $180.2 million, an increase of 178 percent from 1H FY 2016 . Sales revenue was US$ 598.7 million. The mill operated at 100 percent capacity in the first half and benefited from lower conversion costs, particularly in utilities. Shipments for […]