Supply Chain

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  Edgen Group Inc. has withdrawn its previously issued guidance for 2013 as it posted a first-quarter net loss of nearly $5.39 million on sales that fell 19.7 percent to $406.1 million.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

• Los Angeles-area port costs climbing May 13, 2013

  Los Angeles-area ports, which already have the reputation of being among the most expensive U.S. arrival points for imported steel, are due to get a lot more costly, according to local shipping industry executives.

• Nissan logs $4.1-billion profit for fiscal year May 10, 2013

  Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. recorded a profit of 342 million yen ($4.1 billion) on revenues of 9.63 trillion yen ($116.2 billion) for its fiscal year ended March 31.

• ITA issues preliminary results vs. China valve imports May 10, 2013

  The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its preliminary results in the anti-dumping duty administrative review on front-seating service valves from China for the April 1, 2011, to March 31, 2012, period.

• Cadillac lightweights luxury cars with aluminum, AHSS parts May 10, 2013

  Greater use of aluminum is helping Cadillac reduce overall weight of its ATS and CTS sedans, the luxury automaker said.

• Congress mulls pipeline approval bill May 10, 2013

  A bill aimed at expediting the approval process of natural gas pipelines has been introduced in Congress by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R., Kan.).