Category: Manufacturers/End Users

The state of Louisiana has purchased 1,700 acres along the Mississippi River from Germania Plantation Inc. for $91 million for Hyundai Steel's proposed EAF operation.

Kloeckner Metals Corp. announced that beginning Jan. 1, 2026, the former Bauer Built Manufacturing site in Paton, Iowa, would lead all its commercial, manufacturing, and other operational activities. 

The Chicago Business Barometer increased in December after hitting an 18-month low in November, according to Market News International (MNI) and the Institute for Supply Management (ISM)

The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) latest report finds that December 2025’s market conditions in the manufacturing sector continued to soften.

Metalforming manufacturers are more upbeat on the prospect of improved near-term economic activity despite lower shipping levels in December, according to the Precision Metalforming Association’s (PMA) December report.

Worthington Steel executives emphasized on an earnings conference call on Thursday that the company’s standout fiscal Q2 performance came from capturing new automotive business, with direct automotive shipments rising 26% year over year.

US shipments of heating and cooling equipment fell 11% in October from September to the lowest monthly rate of the year, and an eight-year low, according to AHRI.

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) is urging the Trump administration to keep Section 232 steel and aluminum measures focused on rebuilding US capacity, rather than using them as bargaining chips in unrelated negotiations.

Deere & Company's latest earnings report put a spotlight on the mounting costs of tariffs across the agricultural and heavy machinery sectors.

The Chicago Business Barometer tumbled to an 18-month low in November, according to Market News International (MNI) and the Institute for Supply Management (ISM)

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

General Motors (GM) is planning a ~$250 million investment to upgrade its Parma Metal Center. The outlay is part of GM's plans to invest ~$4 billion in its US-based manufacturing operations over the next two years. Its 2025 reshoring commitments currently total over $5 billion.

Architecture firms reported a modest improvement in billings in October, though business conditions remained soft, according to the latest ABI report.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) surged in October after a notable decline the month prior. The recovery came as service center on order inventory totals picked up, supported by a slight uptick in shipments, according to our latest service center inventories data.

US shipments of heating and cooling equipment fell 7% in September from August to the lowest monthly rate of the year, according to the latest data released by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).

US steel and manufacturing industries say they face a new set of uncertain market factors due to the government’s shutdown and the potential repeal of “reciprocal” tariffs.  

Flat-rolled metals processor and pipe manufacturer Friedman Industries achieved record sales volume in its fiscal second quarter.

With infrastructure demand shifting toward digital capacity, Nucor Corp. is positioning itself as the go-to steel supplier for the data center boom.

US automakers could face production shutdowns in November because of potential supply disruptions at Dutch chipmaker Nexperia. Even a temporary shutdown, as carmakers scramble to procure chips, threatens to drive steel demand lower. Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella underscored the severity of the situation. “If the shipment of automotive chips doesn’t resume — […]

Ford executives said the automaker expects aluminum supplier Novelis to restart its fire-damaged Oswego, NY hot mill by late November or early December.

Architecture firms reported a cut in billings through September as business conditions waned, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) release from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.

Cleveland-Cliffs executives pointed to growing automotive demand as the engine driving a turnaround at the company.

The Consumer Federation of America estimates rising total auto debt at a staggering $1.66 trillion, along with increasing repossessions and a sharp increase in delinquencies.

In a big win for labor, domestic manufacturing, and steel demand, Stellantis announced major investment plans for its manufacturing operations across the US Midwest.

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) rose more than 3% in September, up for a fifth straight month. The index is now up 33% year-to-date, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network.

Architecture firms reported a modest improvement in billings through August, yet business conditions remained soft, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) release from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.

Worthington Enterprises’ consumer and construction-facing businesses delivered a confident opening act to fiscal 2026. But the story is nuanced — especially where tariffs, volumes, and HVAC demand intersect.

Over 140 John Deere employees at two of its Iowa facilities will be laid off in October.  

Total heating and cooling equipment shipments eased again in July, according to the latest data released by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).