Demand for galvanized sheet is strong or softening, depending on where you’re located, according to members of the Heating, Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) Sheet Metal/Air Handling Council. And with pricing bouncing along somewhat steadily in recent weeks, most members are not expecting any big swings in galvanized pricing in the coming months. In […]
Nucor Corp. announced Wednesday plans to build two new galvanizing lines, with specific details for one line to be constructed at the Nucor Steel Berkeley sheet mill in Huger, S.C. The $425 million investment will create more than 50 full-time jobs, with an expected start-up date of mid-2025. Nucor said this expansion will provide more […]
Canadian flat-rolled steelmaker Algoma Steel Inc. expects results for its fiscal 2023 second quarter to be down significantly compared to prior quarters because of operational challenges, declining shipments, and lower prices. In its latest earnings guidance, the Sault St. Marie, Ontario-based company said it expects fiscal ’23 Q2 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and […]
Tensions continue to escalate between US Steel and the United Steelworkers (USW) union as the two sides remain far apart on reaching a new labor agreement. On Sept. 26, the Pittsburgh-based steelmaker went so far as to file an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against the USW. “We have continued […]
US Steel has decided to indefinitely idle the No. 3 blast furnace at its Mon Valley Works in western Pennsylvania following a roughly month-long maintenance outage. “We expect planned maintenance on BF 3 to be completed and the furnace to be available for use this week. However, the furnace will remain down until market conditions […]
The United Steelworkers union and US Steel traded blows as bargaining talks on a new labor deal continued well past the Sept. 1 expiration of a prior agreement. The USW said in an update to its members on Sept. 22 that the Pittsburgh-based steelmaker had failed to invest in its union-represented facilities as promised. The union also […]
Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA) has restarted its electric arc furnace (EAF) in Monclova, Coahuila, which had been down since July due to a failure at its electrical substation. Work to repair the substation was slowed by difficulties in sourcing the right equipment, which in turn delayed the restart of the EAF, according to a […]
Lapham-Hickey Steel is continuing its growth by taking a controlling stake in Mexico’s lamination stamper and value-added services provider VC Laminations. VC Laminations, located in Queretaro, Mexico, is a family-owned business that produces a complete line of E&I and motor laminations to the electric and power generation markets. The manufacturer has 10 high-speed progressive stamping […]
US Steel Corp.’s month-long maintenance outage on the No. 3 blast furnace at Mon Valley Works near Pittsburgh is expected to be completed on Saturday, Sept. 24, a company spokeswoman confirmed to SMU. Once complete, the blast furnace is expected to remain idle for the next month or so in response to declining demand and […]
NLMK USA has planned a roughly month-long outage for upgrades to its electric-arc furnace (EAF) sheet mill in Portage, Ind. The work is scheduled for October and November and will be focused on enhancements to the plant’s melt shop and hot strip mill, a company spokesman said. NLMK USA in emails to customers specified the […]
Nucor Corp. is pursuing LEED v4 for Building and Design certification for its new plate mill in Brandenburg, Ky. With categories of sustainable performance and climate change, and third-party transparency and reporting requirements, the certification is even more rigorous than previous LEED rating systems, the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said in a press release. “Sustainability has […]
SSAB is expanding its decarbonization efforts. The Swedish steel company recently announced its partnership with equipment manufacturer Oshkosh Corp. Oshkosh will receive fossil-free steel from SSAB to manufacture environmentally-friendly vehicles. “We are very happy to welcome Oshkosh Corp. into our partner group to be the first in the US to prototype fossil-free steel in commercial and […]
ThyssenKrupp Material Services is investing $37 million to build a new aluminum and steel service center in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, to serve the automotive supply markets. Operations at the new location are scheduled to begin mid-2023. A Schuler blanking line to cut aluminum and high-strength steel blanks will be a focal point of the […]
SSAB Americas is forging ahead to show customers, the government, and other stakeholders that it is serious about sustainability and achieving its ultimate goal of “net zero” emissions. The flat-rolled steelmaker recently released Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its steel plate and coil products that show it is well ahead not just of others in […]
United States Steel Corporation has idled the No. 8 blast furnace at its Gary Works in Indiana due to market conditions and high import levels. A spokeswoman confirmed the idling began on Sept. 7. “We continue to monitor market conditions and plan to bring the furnace back online when business conditions allow,” she told SMU. […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. expects its third quarter earnings to be down from the second quarter as the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based steelmaker is seeing lower flat rolled earnings and pricing, as well as continued impacts from the start-up of its new sheet mill in Sinton, Texas. SDI’s earnings guidance is in the range of $4.93–4.97 per […]
US Steel Corp. expects its performance to be substantially lower sequentially for its third quarter ending Sept. 30. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker anticipates adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of approximately $825 million in Q3, according to earnings guidance figures released on Thursday, Sept. 15. That’s down nearly 50% from second quarter EBITDA […]
Samuel, Son & Co. is expanding its family, announcing its recent acquisition of technology development company RAMP Inc. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, RAMP specializes in full system design, technology development, and integration. Its custom automation systems are intended to increase efficiencies in the workplace. “RAMP is an outstanding automation integrator with a unique product and […]
Nucor Corp., the largest steelmaker in the US, expects lower sequential results for its third quarter ending Oct. 1. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker expects earnings of $6.30 to $6.40 per diluted share in Q3, according to earnings guidance figures released on Wednesday, Sept. 14. That’s down from the record of $9.67 per diluted share in […]
Ratification votes on the new labor deal between Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and the United Steelworkers (USW) are to begin Oct. 12, a union representative told Steel Market Update. The two sides agreed to a new, tentative four-year contract nearly three weeks ago. The new deal is effective Sept. 1 but does not go into effect unless a […]
A planned maintenance outage at SSAB America’s 1.25-million-tons-per-year plate mill in Montpelier, Iowa, began this week, the company confirmed to Steel Market Update. The outage had been planned for October but was moved up into September and is now expected to last through Oct. 5. Costs related to the outage were previously anticipated to be […]
Nucor Corp. is urging buyers to be prepared in case of a strike by railroad workers. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steemaker warned in a Sept. 13 letter to customers that a Sept. 16 rail walkout is possible and provided some details around the situation. A Presidential Emergency Board was established to help the Class I railroads […]
Lapham-Hickey Steel has acquired SMC Metal Fabricators of Oshkosh, Wisc., for an undisclosed sum. SMC operates a 115,000-square-foot facility adjacent to two Lapham-Hickey facilities in Oshkosh. Its facility, previously owned by the Albright family for nearly three decades, hosts laser cutting, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly services. SMC’s products and services “will enhance our […]
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. has reached a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers (USW) on a new, 47-month labor contract for its mining and pelletizing operations, the company said on Friday, Sept. 9. The new deal is effective Oct. 1 but does not go into effect unless a majority of the 2,000 union members represented under the […]
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and the United Steelworkers (USW) union continue to work toward a new labor contract for employees at the company’s iron ore mines. A prior contract between the Cleveland-based steelmaker and workers at its mining and pelletizing operations is set to expire on Oct. 1. That contract is separate from one with its USW-represented […]
Ryerson has announced its acquisition of Howard Precision Metals, one of the largest distributors of aluminum in the Midwest. “Howard has cultivated a strong brand and a reputation for creating excellent customer experiences,” said Mike Burbach, Ryerson’s COO. “Its processing capabilities complement Ryerson’s existing non-ferrous franchise, and we are excited to recognize these synergies as […]
A breakout at JSW Steel USA’s mill in Mingo Junction, Ohio, resulted in a fire late last month. But the steelmaker does not expect the incident to disrupt customers. “We had a loss of containment of steel from a ladle while processing at the LMF (ladle metallurgy furnace). This resulted in a fire which damaged some […]
ArcelorMittal has announced the idling of furnaces across Europe, including blast furnace A at its steel works in in Asturias, Spain, multiple facilities in Germany, and the blast furnace at its mill 2 in Dunkirk, France. According to the Luxembourg-based company, blast furnace A in Asturias will be shut down by the end of September. Blast […]
US Steel has begun a 60-day planned outage on the No. 2 blast furnace at its steel mill in Košice, Slovakia. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker operates three blast furnaces at the mill: No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. The outage on No. 2. began on Sunday, Sept. 4. The No. 1 and No. 3 furnaces remain […]
US Steel has temporarily idled the No. 5 tin line at its Gary Works in northwest Indiana. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker indicated that the move was necessary because of weaker demand and increased import volumes. “The company’s other tin operations continue to operate in line with customer demand. We expect to bring number 5 tin line back […]