NLMK USA notified customers today, Jan. 29, that it was increasing base prices on all products by $30 per ton, effective immediately, due to continued strong order placement. NLMK produces hot rolled, hot rolled pickled and oiled, cold rolled and galvanized products. This is the fourth price increase announced by NLMK in the last three […]
SSAB Americas notified customers today, Jan. 29, that it is increasing transaction prices on steel plate products by a minimum of $50 per ton, effective immediately on all new noncontract orders. The increase will apply to As-Rolled Mill Plate, Cut-To-Length Plate >72”, Hot Rolled Coils >72”, as well as Normalized and Quenched & Tempered Plate. […]
AK Steel announced today that it will increase current spot market base prices for all carbon flat-rolled steel products by a minimum of $30 per ton, effective immediately with new orders. This latest price hike follows a $40 increase announced by the steelmaker in early January. AK Steel is a producer of flat-rolled carbon, stainless […]
On Wednesday and Thursday of this past week a sold-out group of attendees and six Steel Market Update instructors, one event coordinator and a potential future instructor traveled to Mobile, Alabama to participate in the first Steel 101 workshop of 2018. The workshop was a success aided by the generosity of the SSAB plate mill […]
Three weeks ago, the expectation for February ferrous scrap was for prices to be firm to slightly higher than January. This was due to rising prices on exports of ferrous scrap to Turkey, as well as cold weather in the north and large buys by the domestic steel mills as they restock after running inventories […]
On Wednesday and Thursday of this past week, a sold-out group of attendees and six Steel Market Update instructors, one event coordinator and a potential future instructor traveled to Mobile, Ala., to participate in the first Steel 101 workshop of 2018. The workshop was a success, aided by the generosity of the SSAB plate mill […]
ArcelorMittal announced that it will invest CAD $70 million (U.S. $56.8 million) in its Contrecoeur, Quebec, wire rod and bar facilities. Two reheating furnaces will be replaced at Contrecoeur-East wire rod mill and its Contrecoeur-West steel bar mill. The furnaces will increase the company’s rolling capacity by 100,000 metric tons with greater efficiency and reduced […]
West Coast steel mills California Steel Industries (CSI) and USS-POSCO Industries (UPI) announced further flat roll price increases yesterday, Jan. 24. CSI told customers that due to changing market conditions it is increasing transaction prices by $60 per ton on Hot Rolled and P&O, $40 per ton on Galvanized and $30 per ton on Cold […]
Edmunds forecasts that 1,121,932 new cars and trucks will be sold in the U.S. in January for an estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 16.7 million. This reflects a 29.8 percent decrease in sales from December 2017 and a 1.4 percent decrease from January 2017. “In January, automakers are expected to pull the reins […]
Gerdau is making changes in its North American leadership. Peter Campo, president of the North American long steel division, will leave the company effective Jan. 23. Gerdau CEO Gustavo Werneck will lead operations until a new leader for the division is selected. “The recent change in our business portfolio in North America demanded a shift […]
The pile of unfinished paperwork on President Trump’s desk just got a little taller with Friday’s delivery of the Section 232 report on aluminum. It joins the Section 232 report on steel that hit the president’s desk on Jan. 11, starting the clock on a 90-day deadline for possible trade action. On Jan. 19, the […]
Construction employment continues to grow in the United States. The Associated General Contractors of America notes that 42 states added construction jobs between December 2016 and December 2017. From November to December, 32 states and the District of Columbia added jobs. “Construction employment is expanding in many parts of the country in large part because […]
Steel is a core business for the port in Tampa, Fla., which handled steel and scrap imports and exports totaling about 900,000 tons last year. Hundreds of industry executives will also pass through the port as attendees of the 29th annual Tampa Steel Conference to be hosted by Port Tampa Bay and Ports America on […]
AK Steel has promoted Christopher J. Ross to Vice President and Treasurer from his current position of AK Steel Treasurer, effective immediately. CEO Roger Newport welcomed Ross to the executive team: “This promotion brings additional strength and depth to AK Steel’s financial organization and to our senior leadership team.” Ross began his career with AK […]
Popular economist Alan Beaulieu of ITR Economics will make another appearance as a keynote speaker for Steel Market Update’s premier event, the 2018 Steel Summit Conference, set for Aug. 27-29 at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta. Beaulieu will offer an insightful overview of U.S. economic trends and their implications for the steel industry. […]
AK Steel has confirmed that a ladle used in the steelmaking process at the company’s Middletown Works malfunctioned around 8 a.m. this (Saturday) morning, releasing liquid steel into the facility. The spill caused a fire that drew crews from four area fire departments who worked for over two hours to contain the blaze. A spokesperson […]
Popular economist Alan Beaulieu of ITR Economics will make another appearance as a keynote speaker for Steel Market Update’s premier event, the 2018 Steel Summit Conference, set for Aug. 27-29 at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta. Beaulieu will offer an insightful overview of U.S. economic trends and their implications for those associated with […]
Future automotive trends reinforce the role of steel, says Greg Ludkovsky, vice president of global R&D for ArcelorMittal. In the following commentary, Ludkovsky contends that steel offers the optimal balance of strength, performance and mass reduction with the least impact on the environment compared to aluminum and other materials: While sales of battery electric vehicles […]
Steel Warehouse, South Bend, Ind., has acquired Chicago-based Siegal Steel. The company will continue to operate using the Siegal Steel name under the direction of the current management and operating teams. Further details of the transaction were not released. Founded in 1940, Siegal is a niche steel service center providing heavy-gauge high carbon steel, low […]
On March 28 and 29, 2018, Steel Market Update will conduct our next Steel 101: Introduction to Steel Making & Market Fundamentals workshop in Merrillville, Ind. This workshop will include a tour of the NLMK USA Portage, Ind., steel mill. Why do companies send employees to our Steel 101 workshops? Because they receive a broader […]
On March 28 & 29, 2018 Steel Market Update will conduct our next Steel 101: Introduction to Steel Making & Market Fundamentals workshop in Merriville, Indiana. This workshop will include a tour of the NLMK USA Portage, Indiana steel mill. Why do companies send employees to our Steel 101 workshop? Because they receive a broader […]
Emotions are running hot as the market awaits President Trump’s decision on Section 232, and whether to impose new trade restrictions on steel imports for national security reasons. Sharply contrasting comments recently from Dan DiMicco and Richard Chriss serve to bookend both sides of the issue. DiMicco, the former CEO of Nucor and current trade […]
The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) predicts sales of 16.7 million new cars and light trucks in 2018. “We expect 2018 to be a robust year,” said NADA Chairman Mark Scarpelli, a multi-franchise dealer near Chicago. NADA’s sales forecast, while down from 2017, is indicative of a stable and healthy market for new vehicles this […]
The Section 232 report on the effect of steel mill product imports on U.S. national security was submitted to President Trump by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross late on Thursday, Jan. 11. The president now has 90 days to take action. Details of the report have not been released. In its announcement, the Commerce Department […]
Steel plate prices are rising as demand tightens and lead times lengthen. On Thursday of this past week, Steel Market Update published an article containing comments from steel buyers in both flat rolled and plate steel products. One comment sparked a discussion between one of the domestic steel mills and SMU (and indirectly with the […]
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology downgraded the status of Cyclone Joyce, off the far northwest coast, to Category 1. The storm made landfall along the Pilbara coast today at around 12:30 a.m. EST (0536 UTC). Winds of about 50 mph are expected to ease as the storm moves inland. The iron ore terminal at Port […]
The Section 232 report on the effect of steel mill product imports on U.S. national security was submitted to President Trump by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross late on Thursday, Jan. 11. The president now has 90 days to take action. Details of the report have not been released. In its announcement, the Commerce Department […]
This analysis breaks down the imported tonnage of six flat rolled products into the district of entry and the source country. We believe that misinformation (or lack of) about regional import volumes is often used to influence purchase decisions. Our intent with this analysis is to describe in detail what is going on in a […]
Steel merchant bar producer Kentucky Electric Steel, located in Boyd County, will cease operations permanantly on March 10, laying off 113 employees. “This is nothing but bad and sad news,” said Boyd County Judge Executive Steve Towler. “Every job we lose has an impact on the county in many ways.” The county is still recovering from […]
Steel Market Update will be opening online registration for our 8th SMU Steel Summit Conference in the coming days. We are now accepting registrations by phone, which you can do by contacting our offices at 772-932-7538 or 706-216-2140. Information regarding dates, costs and other details can be found further down in this article. Steel Market […]