Steel

• Morgan commissions China rod mill Sep 20, 2005

  Morgan Construction Co., Worcester, Mass., has commissioned a new single-strand rod mill at Yuzhong Steel Works Ltd. in Lanzhou, China.

• Gerdau in deal to boost Sipar stake Sep 20, 2005

  Brazil's Grupo Gerdau SA has agreed to increase its holding in Argentine bar and rod rolling mill Sipar Aceros SA to 83.77 percent of overall capital from 43.28 percent.

• Gerdau Ameristeel restarts plant in New Orleans ahead of schedule Sep 20, 2005

  Gerdau Ameristeel Corp. reopened its Atlas Steel & Wire Corp. welded wire mesh and collated nail fabrication plant in New Orleans Monday, weeks ahead of schedule.

• US raw steel production slips back 0.2 percent Sep 20, 2005

  Raw steel output in the United States totaled 2,005,000 tons last week, a 0.2-percent decline from 2,009,000 tons produced the previous week, as mills operated at an average capability utilization rate of 86.8 percent.

• US, Canada drilling activity slows Sep 20, 2005

  The number of drill rigs running in the United States dropped by five last week, with the largest decrease in Texas (down 11), while Canadian drilling activity plummeted by 115 rigs.

• W-P sets Follansbee plant revamp to prepare for new EPA standards Sep 19, 2005

  Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp., Wheeling, W.Va., will begin renovations on its coke plant next month.

• Unions press politicians on retirement issues Sep 19, 2005

  Members and retirees of the Independent Steelworkers Union and the United Steelworkers union in Ohio and West Virginia will meet this week with members of local congressional delegations to discuss retirement issues.

• Kelco Steel Fabrication hit by fire Sep 19, 2005

  Kelco Steel Fabrication Inc., Decatur Township, Ind., suffered significant damage from a fire late Saturday, according to fire officials. About 35 firefighters from multiple jurisdictions were called to the fight the blaze.

• AISI's Steel Packaging Council issues call for technical papers Sep 19, 2005

  The Steel Packaging Council of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), Washington, has issued a call for technical papers on processes, equipment and products in the steel packaging field.

• Pipe makers seek relief from China imports Sep 16, 2005

  Calling on the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) for action, steel industry players were due to give testimony Friday on damage caused by an alleged surge in low-priced imports of standard pipe from China.

• Charging back into the energy market, Oregon Steel stays grounded Sep 16, 2005

  Oregon Steel Mills Inc.'s two latest projects underline its bullish view of the energy market while at the same time reflecting its penchant for limiting downside risk.

• Ex-steel executive Paulus dies at 93 Sep 16, 2005

  John D. Paulus, former vice president of public relations at Pittsburgh-based Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. and Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp., has died at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. He was 93.

• Steel framers step up to aid Gulf rebuilding Sep 16, 2005

  Louisiana has long been an area of success for the steel-framed housing industry, where homebuilders have been attracted to the strength and corrosion- and termite-resistance of the material vs. wood.

• Ameristeel's New Orleans plant eyeing restart within six weeks Sep 16, 2005

  Gerdau Ameristeel Corp. is looking to reopen its Atlas Steel & Wire Corp. welded wire mesh and collated nail fabrication plant in New Orleans within two to six weeks.

• Ludlum boosting prices on aero alloys Sep 16, 2005

  Allegheny Technologies Inc.'s Allegheny Ludlum unit has increased base prices for some of its high-strength and precipitation-hardening alloys used primarily in the aerospace industry.

• U.S. Steel seeking settlement of lawsuit on plant emissions Sep 16, 2005

  U.S. Steel Corp. said it hopes to negotiate a settlement with the Illinois Attorney General's office on a lawsuit filed against the Pittsburgh-based company alleging Clean Air Act violations at its Granite City, Ill., plant.

• Timken workers approve four-year contract Sep 16, 2005

  Workers at four Timken Co. plants in Ohio have agreed to a new four-year labor contract.

• Steel calls for diversification in energy Sep 16, 2005

  The North American steel industry is becoming a major voice in an effort to get the U.S. government to expand and diversify the sources and supply of energy to the United States in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

• Stainless steel fuel filler tubes planned for 2 new car models Sep 15, 2005

  In what might be a new use for stainless steel, fuel filler tubes made from 436 stainless will begin appearing shortly on two new-model vehicles, executives of TI Automotive Ltd., Warren, Mich., said.

• Brazil ruling on alleged rebar cartel again upset Sep 15, 2005

  Brazilian antitrust authority Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (Cade) has again been blocked from ruling on a rebar cartel allegedly operated by three local steelmakers in 1999 and 2000.

• AK Steel maps Oct. surcharges for flat roll, electrical, stainless Sep 15, 2005

  AK Steel Corp., Middletown, Ohio, has told its carbon flat-rolled steel customers that a $154-per-ton surcharge will be added to invoices for products shipped in October, down slightly from the $157 surcharge the company has in place for September shipments.

• Boling to take helm of Synalloy stainless pipe unit Bristol Metals Sep 15, 2005

  Synalloy Corp., Spartanburg, S.C., has named Michael D. Boling to head up its metals segment.

• SMI, Roanoke, Bayou set Oct. hikes Sep 14, 2005

  Three producers said Wednesday they plan to raise prices on reinforcing bar, merchant bar and structural products by $20 a ton ($1 per hundredweight), effective with Oct. 1 shipments.

• U.S. Steel's Thompson appointed to head sales to service centers Sep 14, 2005

  U.S. Steel Corp., Pittsburgh, has appointed George H. Thompson as general manager of service center sales.