Supply Chain

• Port of Mobile to remain hub: executive Nov 27, 2012

  The Alabama State Port Authority expects steel's role to increase even with the uncertainty surrounding ThyssenKrupp AG’s steel rolling facility in Calvert, Ala.

• Mississippi River shippers turn to rail, trucks Nov 27, 2012

  Scrapyards, commodity shippers and terminals along the Mississippi River are preparing to move material by rail and truck instead of via barge, despite the higher cost, as low water levels are threatening to close the river to commercial navigation in less than two weeks.

• Canopy, Enbridge partner to move Bakken crude by rail Nov 27, 2012

  An Enbridge Inc. subsidiary has formed a joint venture with Canopy Prospecting Inc. to develop rail capacity that would deliver crude oil from the Bakken shale in North Dakota to refineries in Philadelphia.

• Enbridge slates $1.81B for pipeline expansion Nov 27, 2012

  Enbridge Inc. plans to spend Canadian $1.8 billion ($1.81 billion) to expand pipeline capacity between Edmonton and Hardisty in Alberta.

• China approves $7.95B in rail projects Nov 27, 2012

  China has approved rail projects valued at 49.47 billion yuan ($7.95 billion) for two cities.

• Bushwick, Tarco add new services Nov 26, 2012

  Bushwick Metals LLC and its Tarco Steel division in Binghamton, N.Y., have added a number of value-added services.

• Deere boosts sales but fails to meet income projections Nov 26, 2012

  Deere & Co. saw its fiscal fourth-quarter sales rise 13.7 percent compared with a year earlier as demand for farming equipment climbed in North America and South America, but the agricultural and industrial equipment manufacturer fell just short of its projected targets for the full year.

• Heavy equipment producers plan merger Nov 26, 2012

  Fiat Industrial SpA, which manufactures agricultural and construction equipment, trucks and commercial vehicles, has entered into a merger agreement with CNH Global NV, which also manufactures a wide range of agricultural and construction equipment.

• Commerce reviewing imports of Chinese steel wire hangers Nov 26, 2012

  The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated a new-shipper review of Hangzhou Qingqing Industry Co. Ltd. and Hangzhou Yingqing Materials Co. Ltd. in an anti-dumping duty order covering imports of steel wire garment hangers from China.

• Commerce revokes duties on folding metal tables, chairs Nov 26, 2012

  The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has revoked an anti-dumping duty order on imports of folding metal tables and chairs from China as no domestic interested parties participated in the sunset review.

• Mexican, Argentine groups ink new terms for auto trade Nov 26, 2012

  Automotive associations in Mexico and Argentina have reached an agreement to re-establish preferential trade for light vehicles by March 19, 2015, according to Mexican automotive association Amia.

• OSHA cites foundry, finishing services firm Nov 26, 2012

  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Grede Wisconsin Subsidiaries LLC and Lapmaster Precision Finishing Services LLC for alleged safety violations.

• Ruling vs. China aluminum extrusion imports appealed Nov 21, 2012

  The U.S. Aluminum Extrusions Fair Trade Committee has appealed a final ruling on an anti-dumping and countervailing duty scope order covering aluminum extrusions from China involving aluminum anodes for water heaters imported by A.O. Smith Corp.

• Lean stocks to help aluminum survival: Kaiser Nov 21, 2012

  Lean inventories and strong end markets mean aluminum service centers and mills will survive if the economy worsens and markets tank next year, Kaiser Aluminum Corp. president, chief executive officer and chairman Jack Hockema told AMM Wednesday.

• Light vehicle sales may log post-Sandy spurt Nov 21, 2012

  U.S. light vehicle sales could actually see a small boost this month as a result of Hurricane Sandy.

• Battery demand unlikely to pick up despite damage to cars Nov 21, 2012

  Secondary lead producers and battery manufacturers haven’t seen any increase in demand stemming from the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy last month, they said.

• Chinese auto exports fall in Sept. vs. Aug. Nov 21, 2012

  China exported 106,200 automobiles in September, down 5.5 percent from August, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said Nov. 20, as a slide in commercial vehicle exports offset an increase in passenger car shipments.

• Valmont acquires Katana assets Nov 20, 2012

  A Nebraska coil coater, tubing producer and manufacturer of metal-intensive utility structures and irrigation equipment Valmont Industries Inc. has acquired the manufacturing assets of Katana Summit LLC.

• QMC plans NY expansion project Nov 20, 2012

  Stainless component parts and fittings manufacturer QMC Technologies Inc. is planning a $422,800 expansion of its western New York facility.

• Industrial Tube & Steel builds new Ohio facility Nov 20, 2012

  Industrial Tube & Steel Corp. has built a larger building in Ohio as it looks to boost its inventory capacity and offer more services to customers.

• Mexico’s 2012 auto investments seen at $6B Nov 20, 2012

  Mexico’s auto industry will end 2012 with an internal investment of about $6 billion, double the year-ago level.

• PCC asks European Commission to OK Timet deal Nov 20, 2012

  Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC) has sought approval from the European Commission in its attempt to acquire control of Titanium Metals Corp. (Timet).

• Union locals back on job at Canada’s Wescast, Lear Nov 20, 2012

  Members of the Canadian Auto Workers union have agreed to new contracts at two Ontario-based auto parts companies in recent days, ending independent strikes at both locations.

• Steel supplier Bull Steel seeks Chapter 7 Nov 19, 2012

  Bull Steel & Tube Inc. has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation, according to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in California.