Steel Mills

CSI Adjusts Coating Extra on Lower Zinc Price
Written by Tim Triplett
August 21, 2018
California Steel Industries was the first mill to announce a change to its coating extras this week. Steel Market Update’s comparison of the new rates with the previous rates that took effect one year ago, on Oct. 1, 2017, shows an average reduction of 14.1 percent, with no change in the width/thickness extras.
Buyers of galvanized steel have been waiting to see if and when the mills would adjust their coating extras to reflect the lower cost of zinc. The price of zinc has dipped to as low as $1.05 per pound this month, from highs above $1.60 per pound in February. Zinc is used to apply a corrosion-resistant coating to galvanized steel products.
CSI sent the following notice to customers on Aug. 20: “The purpose of this letter is to inform you that CSI’s October Flat Rolled order book is now open. Due to changing market conditions, we have revised our zinc extras…” The change applies to new orders only.
Steel Market Update is in contact with other mills to see if they plan to follow suit.

Tim Triplett
Read more from Tim TriplettLatest in Steel Mills

Stelco Considering Bid for U.S. Steel: Bloomberg
Canadian steelmaker Stelco Holdings Inc. is now in the mix to purchase U.S. Steel, according to an article in Bloomberg on Thursday, which cited people familiar with the matter.

USS Expects Lower Q3 Earnings, Says UAW Strike Partly To Blame
U.S. Steel expects earnings to drop in the third quarter vs. the prior quarter and the same period a year earlier as the company adjusts production because of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union strike.

SDI to Provide Steel for Mercedes Plant in Alabama
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) and Mercedes-Benz have signed an agreement for the automaker to source 50,000 metric tons of C02-reduced steel for its plant in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Algoma’s CEO Highlights the Switch to Greener Steelmaking
As the world works to decarbonize and limit greenhouse-gas emissions to reach the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement, many steel companies have joined others in setting their own targets to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
U.S. Steel Idling Granite City ‘B’ Furnace in Response to UAW strike
U.S. Steel said on Monday it plans to temporarily idle blast furnace ‘B’ at its Granite City Works near St. Louis. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker said it made the move in response to the United Auto Workers (UAW) union strike against “Big Three” automakers Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis. “Following the announcement of UAW strike actions, […]