I hope the balance of the year turns out to be as good as steel mill and service center executives say it will be. I’ve covered a lot earnings reports and spent a lot of time on earnings calls over the last month. (It sometimes feels like the sun never sets on earnings season.) And […]
The US steel market continues to revert to where it was before the outbreak of war in Ukraine. SMU’s prices for sheet products are lower. Prices abroad are too. The latest bit of evidence: Published mill lead times. Case in point: Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) published updated lead times on Tuesday, May 3. They indicated […]
ArcelorMittal is considering adding a second electric arc furnace (EAF) to its AM/NS Calvert joint venture in Alabama. The Luxembourg-based steelmaker said the potential second EAF, which is “being studied” now, would have capacity of 1.5 million metric tons per year (tpy). That’s according to information released along with first quarter earnings data on Thursday, […]
ArcelorMittal predicts that global steel consumption will “contract slightly” in 2022, a departure from prior forecasts of modest growth. The Luxembourg-based steelmaker now expects global consumption to contract by as much as 1% this year. It had previously forecast of global steel consumption growth of as much as 1%. “Market conditions are currently strong although […]
ArcelorMittal took a big step toward reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at its long products mill in Contrecoeur, Quebec, by partial replacement of natural gas with green hydrogen. The successful test on the mill’s direct reduced iron (DRI) modules saw 6.8% of natural gas replaced with green hydrogen during a 24-hour period. The outcome contributed to a measurable reduction […]
By CRU Analysts Chris Bandman and Christopher Dix, from CRU’s Steel Monitor, April 29 Over two months ago, the Russian invasion of Ukraine quickly resulted in the suspension of effectively all Ukrainian steelmaking operations. Since late March, several steelmakers have begun to return to production. Currently, the following operations have partially returned to production: ArcelorMittal […]
We’ve all grown used to worrying about global supply chains and their shortcomings – as underscored by the pandemic, the chip shortage and the war in Ukraine. But it’s important not to forget that foreign supply chains aren’t the only ones that can get tangled up. And exotic problems don’t mean that long-standing issues – […]
The SMU Steel Summit Conference was, at its inception, about two things: networking and forecasting. Our conference aims to expand our attendees’ knowledge of the economy, the flat rolled and plate industries, and key market segments. It’s also about getting to know one another better as companies look to improve or expand their relationships with […]
ArcelorMittal has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in Voestalpine’s hot-briquetted iron (HBI) plant in southern Texas, in a deal that values the operations at $1 billion. The Luxembourg-based steelmaker will take an 80% stake in the plant located in Portland, Texas – just outside of Corpus Christi. Opened in October 2016, it’s one of […]
The United Steelworkers (USW) union is preparing for contract talks this summer with U.S. Steel and with Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., a USW spokeswoman confirmed. A text had been sent out to USW members earlier in the day on Thursday, March 24, alerting them that the USW was getting ready for negotiations. The USW contracts with Pittsburgh-based […]
By CRU Research Analyst Aaron Kearney-Keaveny, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor, March 22 In the past week, the iron ore price has been influenced by two notable shocks, a supply shock from lost CIS volumes, which has been occurring since the invasion, and a demand shock from China after lockdowns created bearish sentiments. Improving […]
ArcelorMittal has decided to idle iron- and steelmaking operations at its mill in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, because of the war. The decision was made last week “to ensure the safety and security of our people and assets,” the Luxembourg based multinational steelmaker said in a statement. ArcelorMittal has begun the process of idling all blast […]
Editor’s note: SMU contributor Bryan Tice is a partner at Metal Edge Partners, a firm engaged in Risk Management and Strategic Advisory. In this role, he and the firm design and execute risk management strategies for clients along with providing process and analytical support. Before joining Metal Edge Partners, Bryan held a variety of commercial […]
Some North American flat-rolled steelmakers were silent when asked what the impact of the conflict between the U.S. and Russia might be on their operations. Others said their supply lines weren’t in the crossfire. One reason for the silence in some corners: Many rely heavily either on Russian slab or Russian or Ukrainian pig iron […]
By CRU Principal Analyst Erik Hedborg and Senior Coal Analyst Dmitry Popov, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor, Feb. 24 On Feb. 24, Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine as President Vladmir Putin ordered a large-scale “specialized military operation.” Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory – from Belarus in the north, the separatist-controlled regions in the […]
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. will indefinitely idle the No. 4 blast furnace at its Indiana Harbor steelmaking campus in northwest Indiana. The Cleveland-based steelmaker also announced that it was raising prices for April orders of carbon hot-rolled, cold-rolled and coated flat-rolled steel by at least $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt). Cliffs will transfer hot metal production […]
The Ontario government will contribute $500 million ($393 million U.S.) towards ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s $1.8 billion clean tech project to decrease its carbon intensity in steelmaking. The Hamilton-based steelmaker – a subsidiary of multinational ArcelorMittal SA – is working towards decreasing its greenhouse gas emissions by replacing its coal-fed coke ovens and blast furnaces with hydrogen-enabled […]
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. might shut a blast furnace this year, the company’s top executive said. “When we make a move, we make a move. … You might see a blast furnace going down for good still in 2022,” Cliffs Chairman, President and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said during a fireside chat at the Tampa Steel Conference this […]
ArcelorMittal recorded earnings of $4.05 billion in fourth-quarter 2021, besting the same year-ago quarter by more than threefold, despite lower shipment volumes, due to sharply higher steel prices. For the year, global earnings for the Luxembourg-based miner and steelmaker reached $14.97 billion, up from a loss of $733 million in 2020 despite a 9.0% decrease in […]
By Principal Analyst Josh Spoores from CRU’s Steel Sheet Products Monitor, Jan. 22 Trends in the North American sheet market have picked up where 2021 left off, particularly a continued decline in sheet prices. Various supply pressures have overwhelmed demand and led to lower sheet prices in all North American markets. In the U.S. Midwest […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Group Virtually every mention of the infrastructure spending plans and Build Back Better touts renewable energy. We thought it might be worthwhile to talk about some of the tangible effects of that on solar photovoltaic (SPV) energy generation. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is the best source of data […]
U.S. Steel has released updated galvanized steel coating extras, with new prices going into effect on Jan. 2, 2022. Other mills have also adjusted their coating extras due to rising zinc costs in recent months; NLMK, Big River Steel, and Nucor all have revised extras going into effect in January 2022, and ArcelorMittal USA and […]
ArcelorMittal Mexico has made the first coil from the new hot strip at its steelmaking complex in Lazaro Cardenas, a port city in Mexico’s Michoacan province. Company spokespeople did not respond to requests for confirmation from Steel Market Update. But the moment was celebrated on social media by ArcelorMittal employees and executives. One example: “Congratulations […]
ArcelorMittal Mexico anticipates a run rate of roughly 70% by year’s end at its new hot strip mill in the Michoacan province. Executives lauded the production ramp-up of the new 2.75-million-ton hot strip mill during the company’s earnings call late last week, noting the facility’s output could be around 1.50 to 1.75 million tons in […]
Nucor has acquired a majority stake in California Steel Industries (CSI) for approximately $400 million in a deal that will significantly expand its presence on the West Coast. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker paid that amount for Brazilian iron ore miner Vale’s 50% stake in Fontana, Calif.-based CSI. It also acquired 1% of Japanese steelmaker’s JFE […]
The 33rd Tampa Steel Conference will be live and in-person as we return to the Marriott Water Street Hotel in Tampa, Fla. The conference dates are Feb. 14 (networking opportunities and first day of Introduction to Hedging Workshop), Feb. 15 (golf outing, boat tour, and hedging workshop in the morning followed by the beginning of the […]
The 33rd Tampa Steel Conference will be live and in-person as we return to the Marriott Water Street Hotel in Tampa, Fla. The conference dates are Feb. 14 (networking opportunities and first day of Introduction to Hedging Workshop), Feb. 15 (golf outing, boat tour, and hedging workshop in the morning followed by the beginning of the […]
Sometimes it is the little things that provide hints as to the direction steel prices will take. During our Steel 101 workshops, I use the example of when you hear from that steel salesman on what seems like a daily basis – that’s when you know a market is about to turn (or has turned). […]
Sometimes it is the little things that provide hints as to the direction steel prices will take. During our Steel 101 workshops, I use the example of when you hear from that steel salesman on what seems like a daily basis – that’s when you know a market is about to turn (or has turned). […]
By CRU Principal Analyst Matthew Watkins and Analyst Iris Speelmanns, part of CRU’s steel and the energy transition series When we think about hydrogen and steel, we generally focus on steel supply. Hydrogen is a possible alternate reductant, replacing coke and offering a pathway to low-CO2 steel production. But a hydrogen economy could also be a huge […]