Steel

• Arson ruled out as cause of ThyssenKrupp fire Oct 11, 2005

  Arson has been ruled out as the cause of a fire that closed ThyssenKrupp AG's electrogalvanizing and coating line at Duisburg-Beeckerwerth, Germany, according to a preliminary report from investigators.

• Japan is hoping import decision will deter cases Oct 11, 2005

  Japanese steelmakers are "gratified" that a three-year-old steel dumping case against U.S. imports of Japanese cold-rolled steel has been settled in their favor.

• US drilling slows, Canada slumps Oct 11, 2005

  The number of drill rigs running in the United States fell by two last week, with the largest decrease in Texas (down eight), while Canadian drilling activity plummeted by 60 rigs.

• US raw steel production inches slightly higher Oct 11, 2005

  Raw steel output in the United States totaled 1,995,000 tons last week, a 0.3-percent increase from 1,990,000 tons the previous week, as mills operated at an average capability utilization rate of 86.3 percent.

• Ship carrying steel cargo capsizes Oct 10, 2005

  A 1,500-tonne vessel carrying steel products sank off Taiwan's northern coast Saturday, Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration and local media reported. All nine crew members were rescued.

• US imports of stainless steel rise as consumption declines SSINA Oct 10, 2005

  U.S. imports of stainless steel increased in the first seven months of this year even though U.S. consumption declined compared with the same period last year, the Specialty Steel Industry of North America (SSINA) said Monday.

• Heico stoppage enters fourth week in silence Oct 10, 2005

  The work stoppage at Heico Cos. LLC's wire rod and steel billet plant in L'Orignal, Ontario, is in its fourth week with no sign of movement by management or labor.

• McPherson to be post-acquisition chief financial officer at Metals USA Oct 10, 2005

  Metals USA Inc., Houston, said it will appoint Robert C. McPherson II as senior vice president and chief financial officer upon the closing of the company's pending acquisition by affiliates of investment firm Apollo Management LLP, New York.

• Led by coil shipments, Japanese steel exports slide 8.1% in August Oct 10, 2005

  Japan's ordinary steel exports dipped 8.1 percent to 1.89 million tonnes in August compared with a year earlier, according to data from the Japan Iron and Steel Federation.

• Three S. Korean furnaces updated with Techint Goodfellow systems Oct 10, 2005

  Techint Goodfellow Technologies Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, has successfully installed and commissioned three of its Goodfellow Expert Furnace System Optimization Process (EFSOP) systems for steel producers in South Korea.

• Mittal inks deal for 12M-tonne India steel plant Oct 10, 2005

  After months of wrangling, Mittal Steel Co. NV has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jharkhand state government to construct a 12-million-tonne-per-year steel plant.

• Renewed call to nix duties draws fire Oct 07, 2005

  Opposing forces are a fact of nature-one that's especially evident in the steel industry, particularly when imports are involved.

• Costs take some of the luster off stainless' growth forecast Oct 07, 2005

  Stainless crude steel production will increase slightly in 2005 from 2004, but not nearly as much as first thought, according to a revised forecast from the International Stainless Steel Forum (ISSF).

• Timken acquires bearings maker in bid to strengthen aero stance Oct 07, 2005

  In an effort to strengthen its position in the aerospace industry, Timken Co., Canton, Ohio, has purchased Bearing Inspection Inc. (BII), Los Alamitos, Calif.

• USC-Petrobras accord signals 'go' for Brazilian slab-for-export project Oct 07, 2005

  Brazil's Usina Siderúrgica do Ceará (USC) has confirmed it will sign an agreement with state-owned oil company Petróleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) on Oct. 17 for the supply of natural gas for its 1.5-million-tonne-a-year slab-for-export project in Ceará state, northeastern Brazil.

• Material Sciences holds up report Oct 07, 2005

  Material Sciences Corp., Elk Grove Village, Ill., said it has postponed a scheduled conference call announcing results for its fiscal second quarter, which ended in August, as a result of "material weakness" in its accounting for income taxes.

• Talks progress at Ameristeel bar plant USW Oct 07, 2005

  Some progress has been made after several days of talks between representatives of Gerdau Ameristeel Corp. and the union at its St. Paul, Minn., steel bar plant.

• Arcelor ups ante, wins stake in Brazil's Acesita Oct 07, 2005

  Arcelor SA, Luxembourg, late Thursday upped the ante in its bid for a 25-percent voting capital stake in Brazil's Acesita SA, Belo Horizonte, in Minas Gerais state, matching a 45-reais-per-share ($20) rival offer. Arcelor's initial bid was 42.28 reais ($18.67) per share.

• SeverCorr enters $440M finance deal with GE Oct 06, 2005

  GE Commercial Finance, Stamford, Conn., has structured and arranged $440 million in senior financing to support the construction of SeverCorr LLC's new steel mill in Columbus, Miss.

• Brazil agency nixes CVRD iron ore mine appeal Oct 06, 2005

  Brazil's Cia. Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) is "still assessing" a decision by Brazilian antitrust authority Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (Cade) to throw out the company's appeal against an Aug. 11 ruling on the Casa de Pedra iron ore mine.

• Bankruptcy court hearing on WCI disclosure statements is delayed Oct 06, 2005

  A federal bankruptcy court hearing on WCI Steel Inc.'s disclosure statements for its reorganization plan has been rescheduled for next week, the Warren, Ohio,-based company said.

• ITC conducting various steel sunset reviews Oct 06, 2005

  The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has voted to conduct sunset reviews on anti-dumping duty orders for various steel imports.

• Talley latest to add energy charge Oct 05, 2005

  Talley Metals Technology Inc., a Hartsville, S.C.,-based subsidiary of Carpenter Technology Corp., has announced plans to institute an energy surcharge on all shipments after Oct. 15.

• Reliance unit orders Herr-Voss line Oct 05, 2005

  Allegheny Steel Distributors Inc., Indianola, Pa., a division of Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., Los Angeles, has ordered a heavy-gauge cut-to-length line with dual precision levelers. It is scheduled for commissioning in mid-2006.