By CRU Senior Analyst Erik Hedborg Part one of our three-part series: What’s next for U.S. iron ore production? The U.S. is blessed with a wealth of natural resources, including oil, gas, gold, copper, timber and coal. In addition, the country has large iron ore deposits that have supported its steel industry for more than […]
The remaining days for AK Steel Ashland Works are numbered. Employees received final notices on Tuesday from AK Steel regarding the permanent shutdown of the Ashland plant scheduled for Dec. 31. The letter from the company sent to about 260 employees states: “As you know on Jan. 28, 2019, AK Steel announced its plans to […]
Electric arc furnace minimills may have a cost advantage in steel production today, but there are still 19 traditional blast furnaces going strong in the United States. Blast furnaces dominate about three-fourths of global steelmaking, but only three steel producers in the U.S. currently are using BF or basic oxygen furnace technology: U.S. Steel, ArcelorMittal […]
Nearly 1,000 executives are registered with just two weeks to go before the start of the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference. We continue to see strong interest in this year’s event, which will be held in Atlanta on Aug. 26-28. Once again, the Georgia International Convention Center will be the home of this, our 9th […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: Recent reports indicate that parts of the U.S. steel industry are being helped by the steel tariffs, while others are being hurt. Sixteen months into the trade war, the division of steel producers into three distinct industries (and perhaps […]
AK Steel’s net sales for the second quarter declined by 4 percent to about $1.68 billion due primarily to lower shipments to the slowing automotive market. Yet the steelmaker’s earnings for the quarter reached $66.8 million, an improvement from the $56.6 million in Q2 2018, though down from $72.9 million in the prior quarter. Hot rolled […]
If you haven’t registered for the Premier Steel Conference in North America, then this is the time to do so. The Steel Market Update Events App, which all 900+ attendees have access to, was launched last week, meaning registered attendees are now busy organizing meetings with each other in advance to make the most of their time […]
If you haven’t registered for the Premier Steel Conference in North America, then this is the time to do so. The Steel Market Update Events App, which all 900+ attendees have access to, was launched last week, meaning registered attendees are now busy organizing meetings with each other in advance to make the most of their time […]
AK Steel union members at Butler Works in Pennsylvania ratified a new three-year labor agreement last week. The agreement covers about 1,200 members of the United Auto Workers Local 3303 and will be in effect until June 15, 2022. “We are pleased to have reached a labor agreement at Butler Works for our employees,” said […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: Companies have filed thousands of requests seeking exclusions from the Trump administration’s Section 232 tariffs on steel imports, claiming the products they require are not available from domestic sources in the quantities or qualities required. The steel product […]
Over 800 executives are registered with just seven weeks to go before the start of the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference. We continue to see strong interest in this year’s event, which will be held in Atlanta, Ga., on Aug. 26-28. Once again, the Georgia International Convention Center will be the home of this, our […]
Over 800 executives are registered with just seven weeks to go before the start of the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference. We continue to see strong interest in this year’s event, which will be held in Atlanta, Ga., on Aug. 26-28. Once again, the Georgia International Convention Center will be the home of this, our […]
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced duties of up to 456 percent in three preliminary circumvention rulings today involving exports of steel products from Vietnam. The circumvention rulings cover certain steel products that are first produced in Korea and Taiwan, then shipped to Vietnam for minor processing, and finally exported to the United States as […]
More than 700 executives are registered with slightly more than two months to go before the start of the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference. We continue to see strong interest in this year’s event, which will be held in Atlanta, Ga., on Aug. 26-28. Once again, the Georgia International Convention Center (www.gicc.com) will be the […]
More than 700 executives are registered with slightly more than two months to go before the start of the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference. We continue to see strong interest in this year’s event, which will be held in Atlanta, Ga., on Aug. 26-28. Once again, the Georgia International Convention Center (www.gicc.com) will be the […]
Our website has been updated with the correct complete agenda and speakers, and we have added more detailed information about the SMU NexGen Leadership Award. We have also updated the sponsors and exhibitors logos for the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference on our website. We have updated the names of the companies attending (those showing […]
The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), presented awards for achievement and service to the North American steel industry at the institute’s General Meeting in Washington this week. Recipients were Dr. Grant Thomas of AK Steel, Eric Petersen, formerly of AK Steel, and Edward Pleet […]
The American Iron and Steel Institute’s (AISI) Board of Directors today welcomed two new directors — Michael McQuade, Algoma Steel Chief Executive Officer, and Ed Ramsey, Regional President-North America for Harsco Metals and Minerals. “Michael McQuade and Ed Ramsey are tremendous ambassadors for the steel industry, and I am excited to welcome them to the […]
I am in Washington, D.C., attending the joint SMA/AISI annual meeting. I had the unique opportunity to sit down with Phil Bell, President of the Steel Manufacturers Association, and the SMA board to discuss my viewpoints regarding various issues affecting the electric arc furnace manufacturers. The SMA got to see a few of the proprietary […]
AK Steel reports that members of the United Auto Workers (UAW), Local 4104, have ratified a new three-year labor agreement covering about 110 hourly production and maintenance employees at the company’s Zanesville (Ohio) Works. AK Steel said that UAW officials notified the company that the new contract was ratified in voting held on May 30. […]
Major steel producers in the U.S. had hoped the president wouldn’t blink on the Section 232 tariffs on Canada and Mexico—but he did—in an apparent effort to clear the way for passage of the new North American free trade agreement. Now the mills are supporting the administration’s demand that steel trade in North America be […]
Nucor Corp. and AK Steel were each recognized as a Supplier of the Year for Non-Fabricated Steel at General Motors’ 27th annual awards ceremony in Detroit on May 15. Recipients are chosen by a global team of GM purchasing, engineering, quality, manufacturing and logistics executives. Winners were selected based on performance criteria in Product Purchasing, […]
Steel Market Update is dedicated to assist the greater steel community to attract and maintain young people to the industry. The SMU NexGen Leadership Award, which is in partnership with the Steel Manufacturers Association, is but one step in the process that was begun many years ago. Our Steel 101: Introduction to Steel Making & […]
Ronald J. O’Malley has been appointed president of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) for 2019–2020. O’Malley succeeds James F. Dudek of United States Steel Corp. O’Malley is the F. Kenneth Iverson Chair Professor in Steelmaking Technologies and director of the Kent D. Peaslee Steel Manufacturing Research Center at the Missouri University of Science […]
AK Steel is not too worried about new steel capacity stealing market share. New carbon steel capacity coming on line is still several years away, said President and COO Kirk Reich. Much of it is not “new” but rather older restarted facilities that AK Steel competed with in the past, and some of that capacity […]
Union members at AK Steel have turned down a new contract offer from the steelmaker. UAW Local 3303 voted overwhelmingly on Monday against ratification of a tentative contract, calling it an “insult” in light of the company’s profits. Union workers were offered a 75 cent raise for each year of the three-year contract, which employees […]
AK Steel announced that longtime engineering employee, Laura Szpot, was recognized by the Manufacturing Institute as one of the 2019 STEP Ahead Award honorees who exemplify leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering or Production. Laura was among honorees recently recognized by the Manufacturing Institute in Washington, D.C. The Manufacturing Institute is an authority on the attraction, […]
The steel industry is on the brink of a capacity boom as mills reinvest their record profits in dozens of mill additions and upgrades. What will that mean for steel supply and prices in the coming years? Who better to answer that question than the chief executives from four of North America’s leading steel producers—JSW […]
The steel industry is on the brink of a capacity boom as mills reinvest their record profits in dozens of mill additions and upgrades. What will that mean for steel supply and prices in the coming years? Who better to answer that question than the chief executives from four of North America’s leading steel producers—JSW […]
The U.S. Coast Guard commenced ice breaking on the lower St. Mary’s River last week in preparation for the 2019 Great Lakes shipping season and opening of the Soo Locks on March 25. The USCG will begin ice breaking operations in Sturgeon Bay on Friday. A tug and barge docked in Cleveland on Tuesday, ahead […]