US Steel presented its arguments to the US International Trade Commission on why its Section 337 price fixing claim should not be terminated. Counsel for US Steel told Administrative Law Judge Dee Lord that the Respondents from China have presented a “flawed misapplication of law governing pricing fixing and Section 337 investigations.” “Accepting Respondents’ erroneous […]
The United Steelworkers have filed a grievance regarding recent layoffs and demotions at US Steel Gary Works. USW District 7 Director Mike Millsap says the labor contract with US Steel does not permit layoffs and demotions without prior negotiation with union officials. So far the union estimates 75 maintenance workers have been laid off from […]
A final decision on the section 337 case brought against China by US Steel has been delayed until March 2, 2018 from the current target date of Oct. 2, 2017. Separate hearings have been scheduled for the allegations of theft of trade secrets and for the allegations of transshipment and price fixing. The trade secret […]
Essar Steel Algoma generated positive earnings in May and June, due to higher steel pricing, resulting in net revenue of C$136 million in June and total net revenue of C$753 million for the first half of 2016. EBITDA before restructuring costs was negative C$49 million for the first six months of 2016. For the reporting […]
Benefits will not be reinstated to US Steel Canada retirees ruled Justice Herman Wilton-Siegel in Superior Court on Friday. US Steel Canada has been given permission, however, to utilize $1.57 million in cash to pay retention bonuses to key employees. The judge also directed USSC to follow through on $2.7 million of funding to the […]
A Superior Court decision is expected Friday on whether US Steel Canada will be forced to restore benefits to retirees. Benefits were stopped in October after US Steel Canada petitioned the court saying it needed to reduce costs to stay in operation. Health benefits for retirees, payments to top-up pension plans and property taxes were […]
Union workers are objecting to the layoff of 38 workers at US Steel Gary Works on Friday. USW District 7 director Mike Millsap said the workers were laid off after consulting firm McKinsey & Co determined there were too many maintenance workers at the plant. “Under the contract, they can only lay off workers under […]
A wolf in sheep’s clothing is still a wolf. Essar Global clothed in the nomenclature of Ontario Steel Investments works is still Essar Global according to US Steel Canada. The bid by Ontario Steel Investments (Ontario Steelworks), announced on Tuesday, was rejected by US Steel Canada on Wednesday. US Steel Canada said it had already […]
According to the latest data released from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the American Iron and Steel Institute, apparent steel supply for the month of June 2016 was 9,098,316 net tons. Apparent steel supply is calculated by adding domestic steel shipments and finished US steel imports, then subtracting total US steel exports. June apparent […]
Ontario Steel Investments Limited (Ontario Steelworks) said on Tuesday that it has submitted a bid to buy US Steel Canada. The August 5th offer includes the assumption of the US Steel Canada pension plan, currently estimated at C$954 million ($724 million) and a commitment to provide C$25 million per year for post-employment benefits for current […]
Korean steel producer POSCO said it will take action against antidumping and countervailing duties imposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce last week on exports of hot-rolled steel. Countervailing duties of 57.04 percent were levied against POSCO while competitor Hyundai Steel, and all other Korean producers, received duties of 3.89 percent. A POSCO official called […]
I did trade emails with trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz regarding the International Trade Commission (ITC) commissioners. I wanted to know if the new president of the United States could make wholesale changes with the commissioners and change the balance of the rulings being made on steel trade cases and others. Mr. Leibowitz told us, “The […]
There were some surprises on Friday afternoon when the U.S. Department of Commerce came out with their final determinations regarding antidumping and countervailing duties on hot rolled steel. Perhaps the biggest surprise was saved for POSCO out of Korea and the joint venture partner with US Steel on USS/POSCO mill in California. The UPI mill […]
On Friday the U.S. Department of Commerce announced their final determination findings on hot rolled steel dumping margins and countervailing subsidy rates for Brazil, South Korea, Australia, Turkey, Japan, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In the article above we reproduced the press release provided by the Commerce Department. In this article we are going to […]
The US International Trade Commission voted Friday to reverse the suspension of the Section 337 investigation into the imports of carbon and alloy steel products from China. The investigation was initiated on June 2, 2016 following a complaint filed by US Steel Corp alleging price fixing, theft of trade secrets and false designation of origin […]
US Steel narrowed its losses in second quarter, reporting a net loss of $46 million compared to a loss of $340 million in first quarter, and $261 million in Q2 2016. Net sales for the company totaled $2.58 billion. Earnings for the flat rolled and US Steel Europe segments returned to positive numbers at $6 […]
Cliffs Natural Resources recorded another successful quarter with net income of $30 million for continuing operations compared to a net loss of $38 million in Q2 2015. Adjusted EBITDA was $102 million, driven by higher domestic steel prices. EBITDA included idle expenses of $20 million for the Northshore and United Taconite mines. US iron ore […]
US Steel Kosice, located in Slovakia, is attracting attention from Chinese, Russian and South Korean investors according to a report by BNE Intellinews. The steelworks is Slovakia’s biggest employer in an area of high unemployment. Local media outlet SME said analysts are suggesting the mill may be taken over by South Korean steel mill POSCO […]
China is fighting back on trade restrictions imposed on export of its steel products. On July 22, Baosteel requested the U.S. International Trade Commission to uphold the suspension of the 337 investigation brought by US Steel to block all Chinese carbon and allow steel products from the US market. Baosteel accused US Steel of trying […]
Figure 1 shows published data for the growth of GDP, industrial production and consumer prices through the second quarter of 2016. The GDP and industrial production portions of this graph are three month moving averages. The growth of GDP was 6.7 percent in the second quarter, which was unchanged from the first quarter, down from […]
What we like to hear for our member companies: One of the largest service centers in the U.S. told us earlier this week after registering for our Steel Summit Conference, “Our guys tell me your conference is very good, I’m looking forward to attending. Also, several mills tell me that your conference is turning into […]
I don’t know if I have ever seen a market quite like the one we are living through right now. Supply is being constrained through the use of the trade suits coupled with US Steel taking down two blast furnaces at Granite City and AK Steel taking down their lone blast furnace at Ashland. There […]
The spread between hot rolled and cold rolled/coated steels continues to be at dangerous (my opinion) levels. The U.S. steel industry has been systematically “building a dam” (Lewis Leibowitz words) around this country in order to prevent what they call unfairly subsidized and unfairly traded plate, hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized and Galvalume steels. The […]
A new bidder may step forward for Essar Steel Algoma, according to UK publication Financial Times. According to the Financial Times, Liberty House, a metal trade and integrated steel producer, hopes to secure deals for both Essar Steel Algoma and US Steel Canada. Liberty is also watching the developments in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy at […]
United States Steel (USS) has filed a motion to reverse the judge’s decision to suspend the Section 337 investigation pending consultation with the Commerce Department. US Steel was not the only entity which felt the investigation should continue, the Office of Unfair Import Investigations which is part of the International Trade Commission (ITC) also filed […]
Ontario Steel Investment says it signed a letter of intent with USW Local 2251 for the acquisition of Essar Steel Algoma. Ontario Steel says it will assume all employer liabilities for Essar Steel Algoma’s pension plan in return for a purchase price of US $900 million for the acquisition of the company. Ontario Steel is […]
Late last week the International Trade Commission (ITC) temporarily suspended the Section 337 case brought by United States Steel (USS) against China, pending consultations with the Department of Commerce. ITC Administrative Law Judge Dee Lord stated that two of the three causes of action brought by USS (evasion of antidumping and countervailing duty orders and […]
The U.S. International Trade Commission has put the Section 337 case brought by US Steel against Chinese steel companies on hold until Oct. 2, 2017. Administrative Law Judge Dee Lord said that two of the three complaints in the case, price fixing and transshipment, belong under the purview of antidumping and countervailing duty laws that […]
According to the latest data released from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the American Iron and Steel Institute, apparent steel supply for the month of May 2016 was 8,957,525 net tons. Apparent steel supply is calculated by adding domestic steel shipments and finished US steel imports, then subtracting total US steel exports. May apparent […]
It appears that Essar Global has been eliminated from the bidders vying for the assets of US Steel Canada. The Hamilton Spectator is reporting that the USSC board of directors has rejected a bid from Essar Global because of concerns that the company lacks the financial resources to complete a purchase. Essar was rejected as […]