A rally on Friday in support of workers from Allegheny Technologies will be attended by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Brown sent a letter to ATI President and CEO Richard Harshman in December calling for an end to the lockout. “ATI’s reputation and its market penetration is due to a highly-skilled workforce that is recognized […]
Moon Township, Pa., January 21, 2016—CENTRIA Coating Services (CCS), a leading provider of custom coil coating services, precise color matching and rapid turnaround for both small and large orders, is proud to announce the appointment of Jerry T. Hatley, Jr. as Vice President, CENTRIA Coating Services. “We are proud to welcome Jerry to the CENTRIA […]
Housing starts and permit authorizations fell from November to December, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce report, despite unseasonably warm temperatures. The drop surprised economists who expected gains from the mild weather and from the positive report of construction jobs added in December. Housing starts were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,149,000, […]
A reaction in one of the furnaces in the melt shop at AK Steel Butler led to two employees receiving non-life threatening injuries on Wednesday afternoon. According to AK Steel spokesperson Lisa Jester, reports that the furnace exploded are exaggerated. “To be clear, the reaction was inside the furnace and the furnace is intact–it would […]
US Steel may temporarily lay off almost 700 workers at US Steel Tubular Products-Lone Star in Houston. Employees were advised by US Steel that operations may be adjusted “due to softening market conditions.” WARN notice listed by the Texas Workforce Commission on Jan 11 shows 679 employees slated for possible layoff beginning March 16, 2016. […]
NLMK USA crude steel production for Q4 2015 totaled 0.08 million tonnes (metric tons), a drop of 46 percent from the previous quarter and 50 percent from the prior year. Finished steel output fell to 0.35 million tons in the quarter (-30% qoq and -27% yoy). NLMK attributed lower production to challenging market conditions and […]
Manufacturing conditions in the Philadelphia region declined modestly in January, according to the Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The diffusion index for current activity rose from a revised -10.2 in December to -3.5 in January. It is the fifth consecutive month of negative readings for the index but […]
The American Institute of Architects called 2015 a healthy year for construction. In eight of the twelve months last year the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) posted scores above the 50, indicating an increase in design services. The December ABI was 50.9, up from 49.3 in November. The new projects inquiry index gained 1.6 points to […]
Essar Steel Algoma will begin the process of looking for a buyer or investor next month according to letters sent to suppliers by CEO Kalyan Ghosh. Under terms of the Debtor In Possession (DIP) Agreement, the company must get court approval for a “broad and investment solicitation process (SISP)” by February 1, 2016. “While we […]
Each month the American Institute for International Steel (AIIS) provides an analysis of steel imports to the U.S. The following January 18 release describes imports for November. Falls Church, VA. January 18, 2016. Steel imports plunged once again in November, dipping to a level more than one-third less than a year earlier. The United States […]
The shipping season on the Great Lakes officially ended with the closing of the Soo Locks on Friday, Jan. 15. The locks in Sault St. Marie are the last to close for the winter season. The Welland Canal, through Ontario, closed on Dec 30 followed by the St. Lawrence Seaway locks on Dec. 31. The […]
On Tuesday, January 19, the Baltic Dry Index hit its lowest point ever, dropping to 363 points. The BDI tracks shipping rates for dry bulk cargos like iron ore, coal and grain and is considered a barometer for global steel trade. To put things in perspective, six months ago, on August 8, 2015, the Index […]
There are zombie factories in China. No, they are not making zombies but the factories themselves are the equivalent of the walking dead–steel mills hanging on by a thread, not making money, reducing workforces, but clinging to life when they are all but dead. The China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) is painting a grim […]
The USW and Allegheny Technologies continue to wrangle over issues in an attempt to find a contract proposal that will appease both parties. Meetings were held at USW headquarters last week with a mediator present and without. The USW reports that there has been some progress on minor issues but ATI continues “to argue for […]
USW and ArcelorMittal negotiations resumed last week with hope of a possible compromise after a tentative contract was reached at US Steel. According to the latest information update from the USW, an impasse between the parties still continues concerning retiree benefits and contract language that could affect future labor agreements. “While ArcelorMittal has dropped its […]
The USW and Allegheny Technologies continue to wrangle over issues in an attempt to find a contract proposal that will appease both parties. Meetings were held at USW headquarters last week with a mediator present and without. The USW reports that there has been some progress on minor issues but ATI continues “to argue for […]
New York manufacturers experienced their worse business conditions since the 2007-2009 recession, according to the January Empire State Manufacturing Survey. All indexes for current conditions were in negative numbers except those for pricing. The survey for general business conditions index fell 13 points to -19.4. Indexes for new orders and shipments plummeted by double digits […]
US Steel Canada has received court approval to begin again the sales process for Hamilton and Lake Erie Works. US Steel Canada argued in a motion before the court: “With potential SISP bidders showing interest in USSC’s business and with important operational decisions for 2017 needing to be made beginning in the second half of […]
LEIPSIC, Ohio, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — PRO-TEC Coating Company, a 50/50 joint venture between United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) and Kobe Steel, Ltd., of Japan, announced today that Richard E. Veitch has been named the President of PRO-TEC Coating Company. This change is effective Jan. 18, 2016. Veitch succeeds Brent Rosebrook, who had […]
Mill Steel, a distributor of flat rolled carbon steel, has announced the acquisition of certain assets of S&S Steel Services for an undisclosed amount. S&S Steel Services, located in Anderson, Ind., is a supplier of carbon flat-rolled steel services serving manufacturing customers in the Midwest, Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic United States. S&S will continue steel slitting […]
Workers at US Steel will receive ballots and a summary of the tentative three-year contract this week. Over the next two weeks steelworkers will cast their votes on whether to ratify or reject the new contract. The USW said it expects to count ballots on February 1. The USW has urged the membership to ratify […]
Coal companies have been struggling with regulation changes and decreasing demand over the past several years. According to U.S. Energy Information Administration data, coal production fell 10 percent in 2015 to its lowest level since 1986. Coal prices have dropped 35 percent in just the past two years. The result has been bankruptcy restructuring proceedings […]
Media reports indicate that ArcelorMittal Steelton, a producer of rail in Pennsylvania, may be up for sale. Local government officials and the president of USW Local 1688 say they have been informed by the company that the facility is for sale. A spokesperson for ArcelorMittal said the company “does not comment on rumors or market […]
The Canadian International Trade Tribune determined on Jan. 6 that the dumping of hot-rolled carbon steel plate and high-strength low-alloy steel plate originating in or exported from India and Russia have not caused injury and are not threatening to cause injury to the domestic industry. CITT also found no injury from the subsidizing of those […]
Steelworkers in Lorain, Ohio are having a dismal start to 2016. In addition to this week’s announcement by Republic Steel that it would idle operations at its rolling mill, US Steel confirmed layoffs are coming to Lorain Tubular. A union official reports 261 workers at US Steel’s Lorain Tubular Operations will be laid off beginning […]
The Dodge Momentum Index bounced back in December after a 3.6 percent decline the previous month. The Momentum Index, a measure of the initial report for nonresidential building projects in planning, rose 4.1 percent to post 125.2 in December. The increase was spread between commercial and institutional planning which rose by 3.6 percent and 4.7 […]
Nucor announced it will resume operations at its direct reduced iron (DRI) plant in Louisiana at the end of January. Operations were suspended at the end of last year due to market conditions following a scheduled maintenance outage. The company said in a statement: “Nucor’s raw materials strategy is built on flexibility, with the company […]
The Associated General Contractors of America released the results from their 2016 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report. Survey responses from more than 1,500 construction firms indicate that the construction industry is optimistic about business opportunities for 2016. A mix of private and public sector market segments are expected to drive demand for construction in […]
TransCanada says it intends to file a claim for more than $15 billion against the U.S. for what it calls the “arbitrary and unjustified” rejection of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. The claim, filed under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement, seeks to recover “costs and damages that it has suffered as […]
USW and ArcelorMittal resumed contract talks this week in Pittsburgh. The negotiating committees first met in June 2015 and USW members have been working under a contract extension since Sept 1. Mark Glyptis, president of the United Steelworkers Local 2911 in Weirton said he is hopeful that a settlement will be reached soon. “This has […]