Steel Mills

AK Steel Shipments Projected to be Up 37% in Q4
Written by Sandy Williams
December 18, 2014
AK Steel expects shipments to increase by 37 percent to 2 million tons in the fourth quarter of 2014. In the company’s earnings guidance, AK Steel said, despite $321 million in costs associated with the outage at Ashland Works, it expects higher EBITDA than third quarter and net income of $0.05 to $0.10 per diluted share.
Average selling prices in the fourth quarter were approximately $980/ton, 10 percent less than the previous quarter, due to a higher mix of hot rolled coil shipments from Dearborn Works and lower spot prices.
The planned outage at Ashland works blast furnace finished one day early and included capital investments of approximately $19 million and $31 million in costs associated with the outage and reduced production levels at the facility. The successful reline is expected to reduce future costs and enhance customer service.
Lower iron ore, carbon scrap and energy costs are anticipated to benefit results in fourth quarter. An increase in pension obligations is possible in fourth quarter.

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills

ArcelorMittal’s EAF in Alabama expects first heat in Q2
The facility at AMNS Calvert will be the first EAF in North America capable of supplying exposed automotive grades with domestically melted and poured material.

Nucor’s Topalian lauds Trump’s trade policies, downplays impact
Nucor’s top exec Leon Topalian said the benefit of the current administration’s aggressive trade policies “trumps” any risk of potentially higher raw materials prices.

SSAB reports higher production, shipments
But profits slipped vs. last year.

Nucor earnings slump in first quarter, but better times seen ahead
Nucor’s profits fell precipitously in the first quarter, but the company has a rosier outlook for the following quarter.

Nucor names Batterbee, Bledsoe to HR roles
Nucor Corp. has promoted Thomas J. Batterbee to the position EVP of human resources and talent and appointed Elizabeth Bledsoe to the newly created position of president of human resources and talent.