Tag: supply chain

Pace Industries plans to close two Muskegon die-casting plants following news of the planned shutdown of its Arkansas facility.

The American Metals Supply Chain Institute (AMSCI) said increasing insurance premiums, potential vessel diversions, and contractual risk evaluations began in the global freight market as geopolitical conflict escalates in the Persian Gulf region.  

Crude-oil and natural-gas prices spiked, metals opened higher and some fertilizer benchmarks climbed after the US and Israel launched a “pre-emptive” strike on Iran, killing the supreme leader and plunging the region into chaos.

I grew up in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil, surrounded by the Serra do Curral mountains, and a culture steeped in mining and vast iron ore reserves.

Entering 2026, tin has led a frenzied base metal rally during a historic phase for commodities. Frothy market conditions, driven by volatile investor positioning and shifting macro risk sentiment, pushed several metals—including tin—to record highs in January, before a sharp correction in February.

North American auto assemblies recovered in January, up nearly 12% vs. December, though down more than 2% year on year (y/y), according to GlobalData.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) rose again in January, maintaining momentum from the month prior. The increase came as service center intake levels ticked up, supported by a jump in shipments, according to our latest service center inventories data.

The chief executives at Worthington Steel and Kloeckner Metals weren’t coy about hitting aggressive near-term financial targets in their fireside chat at the Tampa Steel Conference last week.  

A cluster of Airbus announcements reveals how quickly the OEM is tightening and rebalancing its US supply chain.

A colorful serial entrepreneur, NEMO Industries Co-founder and CEO Daniel Liss has done everything from working for Hollywood star Sofia Vergara to building a venture-backed Instagram competitor Dispo. He is new to steel but not short on potentially transformative ideas.

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.

AMU's latest survey of aluminum market participants shows widening gaps in lead times, with extrusions lengthening dramatically.

North American auto assemblies declined in September, down 5.1% vs. August. And assemblies were also down 1% year on year.

On Oct.10, President Trump announced major increases in tariffs on Chinese goods. The trigger was a new regime of export controls on rare earth metals and products using those elements, including magnets, capital equipment, and catalysts for catalytic converters in cars and trucks.

The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) latest monthly report on manufacturing reflects a bleak view of American industry in September.

Trade groups cautioned that a prolonged shutdown could strain US industry.   

Meanwhile, the nation’s largest rail union said they supported the tie-up between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern once Union Pacific agreed to secure union jobs.

North American auto assemblies declined in July, down 16.4% vs. August. But, according to GlobalData, assemblies were 2.4% ahead year on year (y/y).

Chief executive of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), Tom Derry highlighted how reactive buying behavior has shifted the market into a quiet demand period. Derry presented ISM data during the weekly SMU community chat. 

Institute for Supply Management CEO Tom Derry will join SMU for our next Community Chat on Wednesday, July 23, at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT)

Section 232 tariffs of 50% on imported steel will go into effect on Wednesday with few exceptions, according to a top White House official.

With higher tariff rates on steel and aluminum set to go into effect on Wednesday, June 4, a new round of chaos across the supply chain is likely in store. Expect a significant impact on manufacturers and metal fabricators. But even before the latest round of Trump-tariff whiplash on Friday evening, there was a lot of interesting data coming out of SMU's steel-market survey.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) adds metallurgical coal to the nation’s list of Critical Materials, following its designation by US Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright’s announcement on May 22.

Ford Motor Co. started a planned outage early at its Chicago assembly plant due to a supply chain issue.

The recently announced US tariffs on vehicles and key components from all markets are expected to significantly disrupt global production.

AMU’s Greg Wittbecker, an aluminum industry veteran, will address not only US tariffs but also evolving trade routes - and how supply chains are (or aren’t) adjusting. He’ll also touch on broader industrial impacts, from auto layoffs to the potential ripple effect of maritime tax policies.

The tariffs are intended to produce more investment and jobs in US manufacturing. But first, there will be a cosmic change, potentially wiping out millions of jobs in the short run. While administration officials will no doubt cringe at the comparison, it reminds me of the effort to undercut fossil fuels production to address climate change. Led by Democrats, the effort was to destroy fossil fuels so that renewable energy sources would have more space to grow. The result: inflation and electoral defeat in 2024.

Containers sailing from China in April are down 15%-20% and Hapag Lloyd says their future bookings transpacific are down 30%.

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

A counterintuitive aspect of the 25% tariffs on autos is these percentages are measured in value, not by weight or part count. That means a few costly imported parts can outweigh dozens of cheaper local ones – and vice versa.