Steel Markets

General Motors Commits $552 Million to U.S. Operations
Written by Sandy Williams
December 15, 2016
General Motors announced it will invest $552 million in key U.S. manufacturing facilities in New York and Ohio.
The New York manufacturing facilities Tonawanda Engine, Lockport and Rochester will receive a total of $333.66 million. The Parma Metal Center in Ohio is slated for a $218 million investment.
“GM remains committed to investing in its U.S. operations,” said GMNA Manufacturing and Labor Relations Vice President Cathy Clegg. “With these latest projects we have announced investments of $2.2 billion in 2016, allowing us to support the production of future engines and vehicles.”
UAW GM Vice President Cindy Estrada, “The UAW’s negotiations with GM to reinvest in the Tonawanda, Rochester, Lockport and Parma plants have paid off not only for our members but also for those communities. Our strategic bargaining efforts will keep and grow great American auto manufacturing jobs in places that have seen too much manufacturing disappear and will solidify the job security our members deserve.”
The breakdown for investment and jobs retained or added is as follows:
New York: $333.66 million:
Tonawanda Engine – $295.9 million for future engine production
857 retained and 67 new jobs
Lockport – $31.86 million for components
320 retained jobs (incl. 13 salaried)
Rochester – $5.9 million components
20 retained jobs
Ohio: $218 million:
Parma Metal Center – $218 million for new presses, dies and sub-assemblies
140 retained jobs
About the facilities:
The Parma Metal Center, a metal stamping and assembly facility, processes over 1,000 tons of steel per day and can produce up to 100 million parts per year supporting the majority of the GM North America produced vehicles.
Tonawanda Engine, in Buffalo, NY, produces engines for GM vehicles and has 1,459 hourly and 225 salaried employees.
Lockport and Rochester, located in New York, produce a variety of automotive components. Lockport employs 1,183 hourly workers and 215 salaried and Rochester employs 866 hourly and 195 salaried workers.

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Markets

President Trump intends to set additional steel tariffs
While boarding Airforce One on Friday, US President Donald Trump stated that he would be setting more steel tariffs and putting ~100% tariffs on semiconductors and chips.

USS, government officials give update on Clairton Coke Works incident
U.S. Steel, Allegheny County executive Sara Innamorato, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro clarified details from early reports about the Clairton Coke Works facility explosion just one day earlier.

Hot-rolled spot market conditions linger, prices slip
Market participants said they have high hopes that the stable hot-rolled spot market will improve as the year rolls on.

Discontentment brews in plate market with flat, status-quo pricing
Sources in the carbon and alloy steel plate market said they are less discouraged by market uncertainty resulting from tariffs or foreign relations, but are instead, eager to see disruption to the flat pricing environment.

Dodge Momentum Index surges in July
The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) jumped 20.8% in July and is now up 27% year-to-date, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network.