Supply Chain

• Construction index logs 4th consecutive increase in April May 08, 2013

  An improving outlook for commercial projects helped push a benchmark construction planning index up 5.2 percent month on month in April, the measure’s fourth consecutive monthly increase.

• Otto Fuchs eyes aluminum drill pipe market May 08, 2013

  German forging, extrusion and ring rolling company Otto Fuchs KG is partnering with TPS Technitube Röhrenwerke GmbH (TPS) to enter the aluminum drill pipe market.

• Employment in metals mixed in April May 08, 2013

  Employment in primary metals and the fabricated metals sector took different paths in April, with producers logging a dip while fabricators registered a gain.

• Steel buyers right-size inventories: ISM survey May 07, 2013

  Steel buyers faced softened demand, excess supply, short lead times and weak pricing in April, an industry survey shows.

• Heyco Metals promotes Mandle, Barry May 07, 2013

  Reading, Pa.-based Heyco Metals Inc. has promoted David Mandle to executive vice president and William Barry to vice president of sales and marketing.

• Spirit AeroSystems reviewing major plane programs May 07, 2013

  Aerospace contractor Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. has launched reviews of its major programs as it looks to resolve cost problems.

• Superior to break ground on new aluminum wheel plant May 07, 2013

  Superior Industries International Inc. plans an official groundbreaking for its new aluminum wheel plant in Chihuahua, Mexico, on May 15.

• Secrist to replace Calvert as president of Brown-Strauss May 07, 2013

  Ryan Secrist has been named president of Aurora, Colo.-based structural steel distributor Brown-Strauss Steel, succeeding Mike Calvert, who is retiring at the end of June.

• Ford to add third shift at Kansas City plant May 06, 2013

  Ford Motor Co. plans to hire more than 2,000 workers and add a third shift at its assembly plant in Kansas City, Mo., in order to support demand for its F-150 pickup and produce a new line of commercial vehicles.

• Drew Industries targets third-party buyers, eyes steel alternatives May 06, 2013

  Drew Industries Inc. is increasingly selling aluminum extrusions to third parties as well as looking to offer aluminum alternatives to steel parts, an executive said.

• Nissan to open 3d Mexican plant by year-end May 06, 2013

  Nissan North America Inc. says it is making rapid progress on the construction of its third manufacturing plant in Mexico.

• Mexican distributors in ‘price war’: Conadiac May 06, 2013

  Excess supply and low demand are the two main issues affecting the profitability of Mexican steel distributors, a key industry figure told AMM sister publication Steel First.

• Shale gas driving power prices down: Alcoa May 06, 2013

  The shale oil and gas boom in the United States is helping to reduce electricity costs and give big power consumers, such as aluminum smelters, more clout in rate negotiations, according to Alcoa Inc. chairman and chief executive officer Klaus Kleinfeld.

• GM prepares to add shifts as it ramps up truck production May 06, 2013

  North America continues to be a growth market for General Motors Co., chairman and chief executive officer Daniel F. Akerson said during the automaker’s first-quarter earnings conference call.

• Downstream growth paying off: Olympic May 06, 2013

  Metals service center operator Olympic Steel Inc. continues to grow its capacity and move further into downstream processing in spite of a slow-growing economy and tepid steel demand, executives said.

• Russel targets energy opportunities May 06, 2013

  Service center operator Russel Metals Inc.’s foray into the energy business has intensified since the Mississauga, Ontario-based company’s acquisition of Apex Distribution Inc. in November, giving its leaders a better view of what’s happening in the oil patch.

• MRC Global expects pickup in 2d qtr. May 03, 2013

  MRC Global Inc. expects activity in the midstream market to pick up during the second quarter after the company saw a first-quarter slowdown due to colder winter weather.

• Samuel closes Wilkinson Steel acquisition May 03, 2013

  Samuel, Son & Co. Ltd. has closed its acquisition of the assets of Wilkinson Steel and Metals Inc.

• Superior profits decline on increased costs in first qtr. May 03, 2013

  Superior Industries International Inc.’s profits dipped in the first quarter of 2013 compared with the year-ago period as labor and supply costs affected results.

• Olympic Steel profit falls on lower shipments, steel prices May 03, 2013

  Metals service center operator Olympic Steel Inc. posted net income of $5.16 million in the first quarter, down 17.1 percent from $6.23 million in the same period last year on revenue that slid 11.5 percent to $338.06 million from record sales of $382.05 million in the first three months of 2012.

• A.M. Castle sheds inventory, trims work force May 03, 2013

  A.M. Castle & Co. has been trimming inventory, closing branches and implementing layoffs as part of a widespread cost-cutting effort that executives first outlined in January (amm.com, Jan. 17).

• Tenaris plans Texas sucker rod mill May 03, 2013

  Tenaris SA plans to build a $70-million sucker rod mill with a production capacity of 1.8 million units near the company’s welded operations in Conroe, Texas.

• Russel Metals’ profits shrink on lower volumes, pricing May 03, 2013

  Service center operator and energy products distributor Russel Metals Inc. recorded a narrower profit in the first quarter despite a boost in sales as the company saw decreased demand in some sectors as well as lower selling prices.

• Drew posts smaller profits despite growth in RV sales May 03, 2013

  Drew Industries Inc.’s profits narrowed in the first quarter as production issues, higher material costs and expansions and reorganizations bit into the bottom line.