Steel

• House passes bill expediting Keystone approval process May 23, 2013

  The House of Representatives has passed a bill expediting the approval process for TransCanada Corp.’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

• KES to expand product line to include round steel bars May 23, 2013

  Kentucky Electric Steel LLC (KES) will receive a $6-million investment from parent company Optima Specialty Steel Inc. allowing it to produce high-quality round bars in diameters up to 3.75 inches.

• Outokumpu cuts stainless surcharges for June May 23, 2013

  Outokumpu Stainless USA LLC has lowered its surcharges on most stainless steel grades for June.

• U.S. Steel raises sheet prices May 22, 2013

  U.S. Steel Corp has raised spot prices for all flat-rolled steel products by a minimum of $50 per net ton, effective immediately, according to a May 22 letter to customers.

• Tenaris to fire up forming presses May 22, 2013

  Tenaris SA plans to fire up two new U- and O-forming presses representing a $180-million investment at its mill in Pindamonhangaba, Brazil, next week, the company said May 22.

• ATI, AK Steel, NAS lower stainless steel surcharges May 22, 2013

  ATI Allegheny Ludlum Corp., AK Steel Corp. and North American Stainless Inc. (NAS) have lowered their surcharges on most stainless steel grades for June.

• Power Piping hits back in U.S. Steel lawsuit May 22, 2013

  Power Piping Co. has responded to a U.S. Steel Corp. lawsuit seeking to reclaim losses the steelmaker says it sustained following a 2010 explosion at its Clairton, Pa., coke plant.

• Asian shift hits US scrap exports in quarter May 22, 2013

  U.S. ferrous scrap exports slipped slightly in the first quarter compared with a year earlier as demand from Asian consumers remained underwhelming.

• Steel for bridge made to spec: Gerdau May 22, 2013

  Gerdau Long Steel North America says that the steel it produced to create anchor rods for the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge that have since failed met the specifications "it was ordered to."

• Prolamsa unit applies for tax exemption on new pipe mill May 22, 2013

  Prolamsa Group subsidiary Axis Pipe & Tube Inc. has applied to the Texas Economic Development Bank to designate its new mill in the state as an enterprise project under the Texas Enterprise Zone program.

• ITA amends ruling vs. stainless plate in coil imports May 22, 2013

  The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has amended its final scope ruling on imports of stainless steel plate in coil from Belgium, South Africa and Taiwan.

• Japanese steel exports up 18.1% year on year in April May 22, 2013

  Japanese steel exports rose in April from year-earlier levels, although weak demand meant a sharp fall in volumes from March.

• China’s plate export prices fall further in weak market May 22, 2013

  China’s plate export market lost further ground this past week as buyers remained scarce and more mills reduced their list prices.

• Outokumpu to test daily surcharge in Europe May 22, 2013

  Stainless steel producer Outokumpu Oyj will pilot a daily alloy surcharge system in Europe this summer, the company said May 22.

• Major Russian steelmakers’ exports slide 16% in April May 22, 2013

  Major Russian steelmakers’ export sales declined in April while domestic sales grew slightly, not-for-profit industry organization Russian Steel said May 21.

• Metal firms ready to help tornado victims May 21, 2013

  Oklahoma-based metal distributors, fabricators, processors and downstream users reached by AMM largely said their facilities escaped damage and employees were safe and accounted for following a devastating tornado that killed at least two dozen people May 20.

• Gerdau to build rebar fabrication site in Tenn. May 21, 2013

  Gerdau Long Steel North America will build a 120,000-ton-per-year rebar fabrication facility in Knox County, Tenn., a company spokeswoman told AMM May 21.

• LNG exports a ‘clear choice’: ANGA May 21, 2013

  The United States’ vast supply of natural gas makes exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) a "clear choice," according to America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA).

• AK iron ore JV nets $325M in offering May 21, 2013

  Magnetation LLC, AK Steel Corp.’s joint venture with iron ore concentrate producer Magnetation Inc., has completed a $325-million notes offering and has entered into a $50-million senior secured credit facility, AK Steel said May 20.

• China keeps crude steel output afloat in April May 21, 2013

  Global crude steel output increased 1.2 percent in April as Asia, largely China, offset declines in other major producing regions, including North America and Europe.

• Nucor holds rebar, structural, merchant bar prices steady May 21, 2013

  Nucor Corp. has lowered its raw material surcharge on concrete reinforcing bar, merchant bar and structural products by $22 per ton ($1.10 per hundredweight) but raised its base prices on those products by the same amount.

• Chinese cold-rolled exports see a boost in April volumes May 21, 2013

  China’s cold-rolled coil exports continued to rise in April on increased shipments to Europe and Southeast Asia.

• CSN is negotiating for TK Steel Americas May 21, 2013

  Brazilian steel and iron ore producer Cia. Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) has confirmed that it has been negotiating "the terms and conditions" applying to a "potential" acquisition of ThyssenKrupp AG’s Steel Americas operations.

• Commerce rules ball bearings not dumped May 21, 2013

  Having received no comments in an anti-dumping duty administrative review of imports of ball bearings from Germany from May 1 to Sept. 14, 2011, the U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued a final ruling that the product was not sold at less than fair value.