The Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicated sluggish growth in January. The general business index slipped to 3.5 from 4.9 in December. Economists were expecting the index to come in at 6.0. The index for new orders rose three points to 6.6 while the shipments index dropped to 7.3 from 12.1 in the previous month, indicating […]
The U.S. automotive industry showed remarkable resiliency in 2020 despite a production shutdown in March and the most challenging year since the Great Recession. U.S. auto sales ended the year at an estimated 14.6 million units, well below forecasts of 16.7 million, yet incredibly robust amidst a pandemic, high unemployment and an economic recession. U.S. […]
Economic activity rose modestly for most Federal Districts as 2020 came to a welcome end. Two Districts reported flat activity while two others noted a decline, said the Federal Reserve its January 2021 Beige Book. The recent surge in COVID-19 cases resulted in another decline for retail sales and leisure and hospitality services. More Americans […]
Nucor Corporation announced that Craig Feldman, Executive Vice President of Raw Materials, will retire in June after a 35-year career with Nucor and the David J. Joseph Company. Feldman began his career in 1986 as a brokerage representative at DDJ progressing within the company to District Manager of the Salt Lake City brokerage office, Commercial […]
Despite market challenges related to COVID-19, Commercial Metals Company reported earnings of $63.9 million on net sales of $1.4 billion for the first quarter of FY 2021. CMC is encouraged by stabilizing backlogs and a renewed enthusiasm by clients to move forward with projects. “Market uncertainty continues to persist,” said Chairman, President and CEO Barbara […]
Ryerson Holding Corporation has appointed James Claussen as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective Jan. 11. Claussen joined Ryerson in 2002 and has held several senior management and leadership positions including CFO of Ryerson’s North-West Region and general manager of corporate development. He was named president of Central Steel & Wire Co. following […]
The merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot S.A. (Groupe PSA) was approved last week and is expected to be finalized on Jan. 16. The new company will be called Stellantis and will have a production capacity of 8.7 million vehicles per year. The lineup will include French carmakers Peugeot and Citroen, Jeep, Ram pickups, and […]
Officials at the Associated General Contractors of America provided a troubling outlook for the construction industry for the first half of 2021. Postponement and cancellation of construction jobs, difficulty finding skilled labor, rising material costs, supply shortages and continued costs and challenges associated with COVID-19 suggest that the industry will not return to pre-pandemic levels […]
Esmark Steel Group has a new chief executive officer as of Jan. 1. Roberto M. Alvarez has been appointed CEO after serving as executive vice president and a member of the Esmark Board of Directors. “We believe that Roberto’s years of experience, not only with Esmark but also within the broader steel industry, position him […]
Schnitzer Steel completed the transition to a consolidated earnings report, posting a net income of $15 million for the first quarter of FY 2021 ending Nov. 30, 2020. Results were a significant increase from net income of $5 million in Q4 FY 2020 and a loss of $7 million a year ago. “We were very […]
Home prices rose to an all-time high in October, according to the latest S&P Dow Jones Indices. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index jumped 8.4 percent in October following a 7.0 percent annual gain in September. The 20-City Composite posted a 7.9 percent year-over-year gain, up from 6.6 percent in the […]
Global manufacturing ended 2020 with growth rates for production and new orders among the strongest of the past decade. The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI posted 53.8, unchanged from November’s 33-month high. Output continued to expand in December, although at a slightly slower pace, and was led by growth in Germany, Brazil and India. New […]
The U.S. manufacturing sector expanded again in December, gaining 3.2 points to register a PMI of 60.7 percent in the December 2020 Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. “The manufacturing economy continued its recovery in December,” said Timothy Fiore, chairman of the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. “Survey Committee members reported that their […]
Construction spending was heavily weighted toward single-family homebuilding in November, according to an analysis of government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Residential construction soared 2.6 percent last month and 16.2 percent year-over-year, contrasting a 0.6 percent decline in private and public nonresidential spending in November and a 4.7 percent tumble from a […]
The Chicago Business Barometer edged up 1.3 points in December to 59.5, reports MNI Indicators. The gain came as a welcome surprise as employment levels, although still in contraction, made notable improvement last month. The production index gained 1.1 points while demand slipped 2.0 points. Order backlogs grew for a second month, gaining 3.6 points. […]
Canada’s Russel Metals is acquiring metals service center Sanborn Tube Sales of Wisconsin, Inc. Sanborn Tube is located near three of Russel’s Wisconsin service centers and has a strong focus on value-added processing. The Pewaukee, Wis.-based company reported annual sales of $19 million. The transaction is expected to close by Dec. 31, 2020. “Sanborn is a well-established company that […]
Orders for durable goods rose for the seventh month in November, edging up 0.9 percent after a 1.8 percent gain in October. Transportation equipment orders gained 1.9 percent and included a 2.4 percent rebound in orders for motor vehicles and parts, according to the latest Census data. Core capital goods, orders excluding defense and aircraft, […]
New home sales in November slipped 11 percent from October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 841,000, reported the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development. The pace of sales continues to outperform the 2019 rate however, up 20.8 percent from November last year. The median sales price in November was $335,300 and […]
Residents in Hamilton, Ontario, were startled by explosions and reddish-brown smoke emanating from ArcelorMittal Dofasco on Christmas day. At around 11:10 a.m., a reaction between water and liquid iron ore occurred during the slag casting process at the No. 4 blast furnace, creating a series of eruptions and air emissions. There were no injuries from […]
ArcelorMittal North America will invest $18.5 million (CAD $24 million) to add capability to ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s No. 5 Hot-Dipped Galvanizing Line. The investment will allow Dofasco to add Aluminum Silicon (Alusi®) to its patented Usibor® Press Hardenable Steel for use in automotive structural and safety components. “The addition of Alusi® Coated Usibor® capacity at ArcelorMittal […]
Metalforming firms are expecting business conditions and order activity to remain unchanged during the next three months, said the Precision Metalforming Association in its December 2020 Business Conditions Report. “Metalforming manufacturers are showing resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic, but finding workers continues to be a challenge despite the high unemployment rate,” said PMA President David […]
Existing home sales fell for the first time in five months, dipping 2.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.69 million. Sales fell or held steady in all regions although remained significantly higher on a year-over-year basis. “Home sales in November took a marginal step back, but sales for all of 2020 are […]
ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel Corp. have committed to building an electric arc furnace at AM/NS Calvert, reducing the mill’s reliance on imported slabs. The companies signed a definitive agreement on Monday to construct the 1.5 million MT (1.65 million ton) EAF at a cost of $775 million. Construction will begin in 2021 with initial production […]
Flat rolled processor Steel Technologies announces the succession of Thad Solomon to President and Chief Executive Officer following the retirement of Michael J. Carroll. Carroll is retiring after 41 years with the company, serving as President and CEO since 2010 and President and Chief Operations Officer since 1999. Solomon was appointed Chief Operations Officer in […]
The Nucor and Duferco joint venture has officially ended. The financial closing papers were signed on Dec. 21 marking the end of a 12-year partnership between the Italian firm and Nucor. Said Antonio Gozzi, Duferco Italia Holding president, “These have been 12 remarkable years of productive collaboration with the first U.S. steel producer, years in […]
President-elect Joe Biden will hit the ground running due to his past experience in Washington and the depth of experience of his Cabinet choices, said Omar Nashashibi, founding partner of the Franklin Partnership, during a FABTECH webinar last week. Expect to see a flurry of executive orders and memorandums from the new executive office regarding […]
U.S. Steel is optimistic about its financial outlook for 2021. The addition of a strong performer to their portfolio with the acquisition of Big River Steel and improved demand and higher prices in the fourth quarter bode well for the new year. Positive EBITDA is expected in the flat rolled segment for the fourth quarter, […]
November was a busy month for ports on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway as businesses stockpiled year-end inventory prior to the closure of the 2020 shipping season. The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership reports international trade of agriculture and wind turbine components remained steady last month, while steel shipments increased. “As the 2020 Seaway […]
There was no reprieve in November for architecture firms that have seen billings shrink for the past nine months. The American Institute of Architects reports the Architecture Billings Index slid to 46.3 in November, down from October. Although inquiries into new work have risen, albeit at a slower pace, the value of new design contracts […]
Construction employment remains below pre-pandemic levels in 35 states even though 31 states and D.C. added jobs from October to November, said the Associated General Contractors in an analysis of November government data. “An increase in project cancellations and postponements is forcing nonresidential contractors to lay off workers as they complete projects started before the […]