Tag: Manufacturing

Uncertainty surrounding demand, the US presidential election, tariffs, and taxes is weighing on North American metalforming companies.

The chairman of a large American steel company called for Mexico to be dropped from USMCA at a steel industry conference last week. This follows earlier calls from members of Congress to reinstate Section 232 duties on Mexico. How did we get to this point?

Demand has remained persistently weak across the globe for sheet steel, weighing on prices. US HR coil prices fell the furthest this week as high-volume, low-priced deals were transacted as mills looked to fill order books and competed with one another amid relative demand weakness. Meanwhile, European prices were also down due to low demand […]

For the first time in weeks, activity in the futures market broke out of the recent “front grinds lower” pattern to provide new insight into the dynamics of the steel industry.

Steel mill lead times remain short for all steel products tracked by SMU, according to our latest market survey. Service center and manufacturers continue to report short to normal lead times for sheet and plate products.

CMC reported solid demand and a healthy start to the construction season in its latest quarterly earnings statement.

Mill Steel Co. announced several executive appointments as it works to transform the organization.

Flack Global Metals (FGM) is set to take majority ownership of Pacesetter Steel Service.

Galvanized prices have tumbled from a month ago, and many market participants expect that trend to continue in July.

New York state manufacturers reported dismal business conditions in June. This is the seventh consecutive month of negative readings, according to the latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Steel Dynamics Inc. guided to significantly reduced second-quarter earnings as its steel operations have taken a hit from lower prices.

Former President Trump’s visit to Capitol Hill last week made a lot of news. One proposal directly involves international trade and tariffs. While the specifics are hazy, President Trump allegedly talked about replacing the federal income tax on individuals with tariff increases. Let’s check that out.

Sometimes, words can lead you in interesting directions. Specifically, crosswords. For the last six weeks we have been making steel-themed crosswords in the lead-up to SMU's Steel 101 course in Fort Wayne, Ind., which is taking place today and tomorrow. I’ve learned snippets of steel history and educated myself on the finer points of sponge iron.

The USMCA is an important trade agreement, as long as the member countries honor its requirements. These were the sentiments echoed by top officials of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) and Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) during a press conference at their annual meeting last week in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Mexican steelmaker Deacero recently broke ground on a $600-million mini-mill in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, in northern Mexico.

Now that June has arrived, the official countdown until SMU’s Steel Summit 2024 – North America’s premier flat-rolled steel conference – has begun. If you haven’t already registered, don’t delay. More than 700 attendees from more than 300 companies have already registered to be in Atlanta this August. In short, it’s poised to be another […]

The latest SMU market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the pricing and analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for “latest survey results.” Historical survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, or if your company would like to have your voice heard in our future surveys, contact info@steelmarketupdate.com.

Germany's Speira is investing €40 million (USD$43.3 million) for additional recycling capacity to drive the transformation of its Rheinwerk facility and achieve a total saving of up to 1.5 million metric tons (mt) of CO2 per year at the site, it was announced today.

Movements in steel mill lead times were mixed this week, according to our latest steel buyers survey results. Service centers and manufacturers reported short to average production times, little changed from our last report.

When you step out of the airport in Phoenix in June, the heat tends to focus your mind. I was in town to attend the Steel Manufacturers Association/Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) annual meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. The desert locale with palm trees, swimming pools, and the obligatory high-powered air conditioning was fitting for 2024. Between the presidential election and the geopolitical situation, things have definitely been heating up.

US manufacturing activity contracted in May for the second month in a row, according to the latest report from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). After a brief expansion in March, ISM’s manufacturing index has since returned to contraction, where the manufacturing sector has been for 18 of the last 19 months. The ISM Manufacturing […]

Nucor Corp. is adding another commercial door manufacturer to its growing portfolio of downstream companies. Charlotte, N.C.-based Nucor announced on Monday that it has agreed to purchase Rytec Corp. for $565 million in cash. Rytec produces high-speed, high-performance commercial doors at its two Wisconsin manufacturing facilities. The company’s rolling doors are used in warehouses, manufacturing […]

As the US slides further into protectionism as the solution for our trade problems, a solution that will put us in a position to succeed in the growing economic battle with China is yet to be discovered. The tariffs on China, which President Biden doubled down on, are not working—at least if the goal to out-compete China and other growing economies. China is not our only problem. But it is our No. 1 challenge right now, in geopolitics, potential hostilities, and economics. EVs are a sign of this challenge.

Economic growth was modest, at best, from April through early May in most economic districts observed by the Federal Reserve.

We’re just a few months away from SMU’s Steel Summit 2024 – North America’s premier flat-rolled steel conference.

The major steel-handling port in Burns Harbor, Ind., is getting substantial infrastructure upgrades.

Most metalformers expect economic activity to be level to down over the next three months, according to the May Business Conditions Report from the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA).

Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market chatter.

The chatter about the June ferrous scrap market has been noticeably muted as we come off the Memorial Day weekend.

Prices for galvanized products have fallen from last month, and many market participants expect tags to continue their descent or at best remain flat in the month ahead.