Supply Chain

• Titanium use in airframes set to grow Oct 09, 2012

  Despite delays and overly optimistic delivery projections for some major airliner programs, growing commercial aircraft demand should outweigh these setbacks, industry executives said this week.

• Japanese steelmakers worry about auto boycott in China Oct 09, 2012

  Japan’s steelmakers are concerned about a huge drop in Japanese auto sales in China as the country’s consumers boycott Japanese goods.

• PCC in deal to purchase pipe processor Texas Honing Oct 09, 2012

  Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC) has agreed to acquire pipe processor Texas Honing Inc., expanding its nickel alloy capabilities in the energy industry.

• Navistar settles Icahn row, sets board directors Oct 08, 2012

  Navistar International Corp. has appointed Vincent J. Intrieri and Mark H. Rachesky to its board of directors following a dispute with shareholder Carl Icahn.

• US manufacturing logs gain in Sept. Oct 08, 2012

  U.S. manufacturing expanded in September to end a three-month slide, according to data released last week by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).

• LNG plan could devour 1.7M tons of steel Oct 05, 2012

  A multibillion "mega-project" to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Alaska could consume nearly 2 million tons of steel, but might also take many years to complete, according to a group of energy companies spearheading the effort.

• China manufactured steel and iron imports to Latin America up 8.5% Oct 05, 2012

  Latin America’s imports of manufactured steel and iron products from China increased both in terms of value and volume in the first eight months of this year.

• Vale resumes rail shipment of iron ore following protest Oct 05, 2012

  Vale SA resumed iron ore transport operations at its Estrada de Ferro Carajás (EFC) railway in northern Brazil early Friday after it won an injunction from a Brazilian court to stop protestors who had been obstructing the line.

• JAC investing $900M in auto plant in Brazil Oct 05, 2012

  JAC Motors Brasil will spend $900 million to build an auto production facility in Brazil’s northeastern Bahia state.

• Aluminum aerospace alloy lead times to shorten Oct 04, 2012

  Lead times for aerospace aluminum alloys are expected to pare back next year as more capacity for the value-added products comes online, market sources told AMM.

• Reliance’s Feralloy finalizes buy of GH Metal Solutions Oct 04, 2012

  Feralloy Corp. has completed its acquisition of steel processor and fabricator GH Metal Solutions Inc., parent company Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. said Thursday.

• MesoCoat to complete Ohio facility in Dec. Oct 04, 2012

  MesoCoat Inc. expects to complete construction and equipment installation at its Ohio clad pipe manufacturing facility in December and begin commercial production in March after several months of trial runs.

• China’s trade practices hurt US industries: steel players Oct 03, 2012

  China has failed to comply with its international trade obligations, steel interests said Wednesday, citing alleged currency manipulation, export restrictions and government subsidies.

• Reliance buys Sunbelt to up energy holdings Oct 03, 2012

  Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. has acquired alloy steel bar and heavy-wall tubing distributor Sunbelt Steel Texas LLC as it looks to continue boosting its exposure in the energy sector.

• Auto demand for rare earths likely to boom: Quest chief Oct 03, 2012

  Rare earth metals are likely to see a major boost in demand as a result of increasing applications in the automotive sector, according to Quest Rare Minerals Ltd.’s top executive.

• Slurry line sabotage spurs Essar Steel to buy spot coil Oct 03, 2012

  Essar Steel Ltd., one of India’s largest flat steel producers, will buy hot-rolled coil on the open market following disruption to its upstream raw material operations.

• US auto sales still trending upward Oct 03, 2012

  U.S. automakers continued to post strong sales last month, with most producers notching improved sales compared with a year earlier, although the surge at some companies showed signs of leveling off.

• ATI’s shares downgraded on weak market prospects Oct 02, 2012

  Allegheny Technologies Inc.’s (ATI’s) common stock has been downgraded by investment firm Cowen & Co. LLC due to "anemic" prospects in some of its major markets.

• Alliance gets pipeline approval Oct 02, 2012

  The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved Alliance Pipeline LP’s proposed lateral pipeline project in North Dakota, allowing construction preparations to begin.

• Edgen lowers earnings estimate Oct 02, 2012

  Edgen Group Inc. has lowered estimates for its fiscal 2012 results due to market conditions in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

• Boeing engineers reject contract offer Oct 02, 2012

  Negotiators for Boeing Co. and its largest white-collar union are due to return to the bargaining table this week after rank-and-file members rejected the company’s latest contract offer.

• CAW ratifies new Chrysler labor pact Oct 02, 2012

  Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union members have ratified a new labor contract with Chrysler Group LLC.

• Commerce invites requests for import duty reviews Oct 02, 2012

  The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) is inviting interested parties to request an administrative review of duties on various imports from Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine.

• Commerce, ITC considering duty revocation Oct 02, 2012

  The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) are initiating separate five-year reviews to determine whether revocation of anti-dumping duty orders on various imports would likely lead to material injury to the domestic industry.