Supply Chain

• Judge nixes extension in MM Steel suit May 16, 2013

  A federal judge has denied a six-month extension to a group of large steel mills and distributors named in a lawsuit brought by MM Steel LP alleging they conspired to drive MM Steel out of the market.

• Outlook for US is weak, but still better than elsewhere May 16, 2013

  While the United States remains one of the strongest economies globally, lackluster growth and a large fiscal deficit may cause serious downward pressure in the near term, according to one economist.

• Pipe distributors hope for flat-rolled cutback May 16, 2013

  Pipe and tube distributors say they would welcome a move by flat-rolled steelmakers to take capacity offline in order to prop up pricing for the substrate.

• Mestek chairman, chief exec John Reed dies aged 97 May 16, 2013

  John E. Reed, chairman and chief executive officer of Mestek Inc., died May 9. He was 97.

• Kobe Aluminum expansion will increase auto offerings May 16, 2013

  Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products LLC (KAAP) has broken ground on a $66-million expansion at its Bowling Green, Ky., facility as the company looks to boost its offerings to the automotive sector.

• Phillips Service Industries' founder, chairman dies at 79 May 16, 2013

  William T. Phillips, founder and chairman of Phillips Service Industries Inc., has died at age 79 following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

• US distributors' aluminum shipments slip: MSCI May 15, 2013

  U.S. service centers saw both aluminum shipments and inventories decline in April from the same month a year ago, while Canadian distributors watched both rise in the same comparison, Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) data show.

• Nucor opposes NC bill blocking LEED May 15, 2013

  The North Carolina House of Representatives has passed a bill that would effectively block the use of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings for public projects, a move that Nucor Corp. protested because it could hurt steel mills in the region that sell construction-related products.

• Aero supplier TransDigm in $286M deal to buy Arkwin May 15, 2013

  TransDigm Group Inc. has entered a deal to buy aerospace component manufacturer Arkwin Industries Inc. for about $286 million in cash, marking its second announced acquisition, the company said May 15.

• Kinder Morgan to invest $106M in Texas May 15, 2013

  Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP is planning to invest $106 million in Texas.

• Greenbrier retiring $52.9M in debt in ‘strategic’ move May 15, 2013

  Greenbrier Cos. is retiring $52.9 million of its outstanding convertible debt.

• Mexican construction activity shrinks in 1st qtr. May 15, 2013

  Mexico’s construction sector contracted 2.3 percent year on year in the first quarter due to a squeeze on cash flows and delays to public works spending as a new government took power.

• Nissan, Car Charging Group to build EV charging stations May 14, 2013

  Nissan North America Inc. and Car Charging Group Inc., which provides electric vehicle (EV) charging services, launched a joint initiative to expand the nationwide network of EV charging stations.

• Bri-Chem's N. America drilling outlook clouded May 14, 2013

  Bri-Chem Corp. says it is hard to predict how the rest of the year will shape up for the North American drilling market, although it does expect a second-quarter decline in Canadian activity due to the snow melt.

• Edgen logs net loss, withdraws guidance May 14, 2013

  Edgen Group Inc. has withdrawn its previously issued guidance for 2013 as it posted a first-quarter net loss of nearly $5.39 million on sales that fell 19.7 percent to $406.1 million.

• Ford targets alternative-fuel technology May 14, 2013

  Ford Motor Co. sees promise in new battery technologies and the use of liquid and compressed natural gases as fuel, even though there are obstacles to the widespread adoption of such alternatives.

• Environmental rules to spark oil, gas consolidation: report May 14, 2013

  The oil and gas industry will likely consolidate as tougher environmental regulations take hold, according to an industry survey conducted by oil and gas technical services provider GL Noble Denton.

• Shale output spurs demand for tank cars May 13, 2013

  Shale plays are making the West a "very hot market" for both the railroads and the tank cars that transport output from energy-rich regions, one railroad executive said.

• Cambelle-Inland to advise China Gerui May 13, 2013

  China Gerui Advanced Materials Group Ltd. has retained Craig T. Bouchard’s Cambelle-Inland as an adviser for its strategic planning and expansion in North America and "around the world," the company said May 13.

• Pro-Tec commissions annealing line May 13, 2013

  U.S. Steel Corp. and Kobe Steel Ltd. commissioned the new continuous annealing line at their Pro-Tec Coating Co. joint venture in Leipsic, Ohio, on May 13.

• Timken buys Canadian gear manufacturer May 13, 2013

  Timken Co. has expanded its industrial services capabilities with the purchase of Canadian gear manufacturer Standard Machine.

• MoveTran widens steel services May 13, 2013

  Logistics services provider MoveTran LLC now offers "pick-and-pack" services for steel products throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

• Universal Stainless' Pa. plant Nadcap certified May 13, 2013

  Universal Stainless & Alloy Products Inc.’s Bridgeville, Pa., facility has achieved National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap) heat-treat accreditation.

• Ohio Star Forge to break ground on expansion May 13, 2013

  Ohio Star Forge Co. will break ground May 14 on a $20-million expansion project in Champion Township, Ohio.