Supply Chain

• US saves Klöckner from larger losses in 2012 Mar 06, 2013

  Metals distributor and processor Klöckner & Co. SE credits its acquisition of Macsteel Service Centers USA Inc. and strong organic growth in the United States for providing a lift in quarterly and annual revenues.

• Kotecki named to Abakan board Mar 06, 2013

  Abakan Inc. has appointed welding expert Damian Kotecki to its board of advisors.

• Mississippi River ready for navigation Mar 05, 2013

  The middle Mississippi River is finally wide enough and deep enough for near-normal seasonal navigation, thanks to dredging projects and precipitation, according to a major barge operator and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

• Federal law pre-empts Ala. coil law: ruling Mar 05, 2013

  Federal laws override an Alabama law regulating the securement of metal coils on trucks, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has ruled.

• O’Neal’s manufacturing arm takes off Mar 05, 2013

  From the seed of an idea only two years ago, privately owned O’Neal Industries Inc.’s manufacturing subsidiary has gained traction.

• New M/K warehouse reflects 'testament to fortitude' Mar 05, 2013

  Marmon/Keystone Corp. workers have moved into a rebuilt Birmingham, Ala., warehouse, a year after a tornado destroyed the former facility and forced operations to temporarily relocate.

• AZZ chief exec Dingus to maintain role during treatment Mar 05, 2013

  AZZ Inc. president and chief executive officer David Dingus will continue to serve in his role while undergoing aggressive treatment for pancreatic cancer, the company said.

• OSHA penalizes railroads for alleged retaliatory firings Mar 05, 2013

  Union Pacific Railroad Co. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co. have been ordered to pay more than $1.43 million after firing employees who reported workplace injuries, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said.

• Automakers bullish as Feb. sales jump Mar 04, 2013

  The top-selling automakers in the United States sold nearly 1.03 million vehicles in February, a 3.3-percent improvement from the same month last year and 15.2 percent higher than the previous month.

• Boeing technical workers receive no recommendation on vote Mar 04, 2013

  Boeing Co.’s technical workers will hold a third vote on a new four-year labor contract without any recommendation from their union leaders.

• Japex takes stake in Canadian natural gas projects Mar 04, 2013

  Tokyo-based energy company Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd. (Japex) has agreed to acquire a stake in two natural gas projects in Canada from Malaysian oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) .

• Boeing to cut labor force at SC facility Mar 04, 2013

  Boeing Co. said labor cuts at its South Carolina facility, which manufactures its 787 Dreamliner, aren’t related to current issues with the aircraft’s batteries but are "standard practice."

• Drilling declines in US, Canada Mar 04, 2013

  The number of drill rigs running in the United States dipped by four last week, led by Louisiana (down five), and Canadian drilling activity fell by seven rigs compared with the previous week.

• Chrysler plans $374-million transmissions investment Mar 04, 2013

  Chrysler Group LLC will invest nearly $374 million to boost its transmission production in Indiana, adding about 1,250 jobs.

• Boeing battery failures not seen derailing lithium-ion growth Mar 04, 2013

  The recent failure of the lithium-ion battery used in Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner is a setback for the technology but will not derail overall growth in new and existing applications, according to Emma Kendrick, research supervisor at Sharp Laboratories of Europe Ltd.

• Senators calling on Kerry to sign off on Keystone XL Mar 04, 2013

  A bipartisan coalition of senators has called on Secretary of State John Kerry to approve TransCanada Corp.’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

• Chevron tests Gulf of Mexico oil field Mar 04, 2013

  Chevron Corp. has successfully completed a production test on its St. Malo oil field in the Gulf of Mexico.

• Manufacturing index at 20-month high Mar 01, 2013

  U.S. manufacturing activity jumped in February to its highest level since June 2011 amid a strong rise in new orders, order backlogs, and exports and imports.

• Shiloh income, sales rise as outlook improves Mar 01, 2013

  Automotive steel blanks producer Shiloh Industries Inc., which is under new management and has been acquiring companies and locations, recorded net income of nearly $2.6 million in its fiscal first quarter ended Jan. 31, up 62.5 percent from $1.6 million in the year-ago period.

• Steel rebar purchasing co-op gaining traction Mar 01, 2013

  A steel purchasing cooperative for independent rebar fabricators is picking up speed, participants told AMM.

• Superior to build aluminum wheel plant in Mexico Mar 01, 2013

  Superior Industries International Inc. plans to spend $125 million to $135 million to build an aluminum wheel manufacturing facility in Mexico.

• Greenbrier OKs sale of bearings unit to Timken Mar 01, 2013

  Greenbrier Cos. will sell its Kentucky roller bearings operation to Timken Co. and enter a long-term supply agreement with Timken for rail car wheel bearings.

• Boeing unmoved on latest offer; union slates new vote Mar 01, 2013

  Boeing Co. and the lone labor holdouts inside its largest white-collar union remain at a standoff as the aerospace giant’s technicians have set another contract vote amid signs that the company isn’t budging from its latest offer.

• OCTG demand pickup seen as prices fall Feb 28, 2013

  Some oil country tubular goods (OCTG) market players are seeing an uptick in demand even as prices remain in slow decline.