Supply Chain

• Trucks continue to drive US auto sales May 02, 2013

  The top-selling automakers in the United States sold 1.11 million vehicles in April, up 9.5 percent from the same month last year but down 11 percent from sales of more than 1.25 million vehicles in March, the strongest month so far in 2013.

• Kinder Morgan to expand pipeline May 02, 2013

  Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP has signed a long-term agreement that will support the company’s planned expansion of its Sweeny Lateral pipeline.

• Merger creates new global casting, machining supplier May 02, 2013

  Two automotive suppliers of precision chassis castings and machining parts, Diversified Machine Inc. and SMW Automotive LLC, have merged to form a $1.2-billion company named Chassix Inc.

• Material evaluation software to help with vehicle design May 02, 2013

  New software to help vehicle designers quickly and accurately evaluate material selection trade-offs, including mass, cost and greenhouse gas emissions, has been developed by the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) and WorldAutoSteel, the automotive group of the World Steel Association.

• U.S. Steel positive on auto; construction mart still lags May 02, 2013

  U.S. Steel Corp. continues to see solid demand in the automotive market, but the steelmaker says it has yet to see a significant uptick in the construction sector.

• Steel group updates manual on bumper materials, design May 02, 2013

  To assist engineers and automakers in applying the most lightweight and cost-effective steel bumpers in passenger cars and light trucks, the Steel Market Development Institute’s (SMDI’s) Bumper Group has released the fifth edition of its product manual.

• GM sees profits decline 13.8% in first quarter May 02, 2013

  General Motors Co.’s first-quarter net income fell 13.8 percent to $865 million from slightly more than $1 billion in the same period last year on sales that dropped 2.3 percent to $36.88 billion.

• Kinder Morgan acquires nat gas service provider Copano May 02, 2013

  Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP has completed its $5-billion acquisition of natural gas services provider Copano Energy LLC.

• ITA seeks comments on administrative reviews May 02, 2013

  The U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has given notice for interested parties to participate in various administrative reviews.

• Oversupply weighs on industrial titanium: ATI May 01, 2013

  Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) is looking to benefit from higher shipments of nonaerospace, industrial titanium this year, but might nevertheless reduce its sponge output rate as it moves to avoid surplus inventory.

• US manufacturing activity grows at slower rate in April May 01, 2013

  U.S. manufacturing activity expanded in April for the fifth straight month, although the rate of growth—while positive—clocked in at the lowest level this year, according to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).

• RTI strengthening ties with Airbus: Hickton May 01, 2013

  Titanium producer RTI International Metals Inc. is looking to boost its involvement with Airbus SAS downstream as the European aircraft builder prepares to open its first U.S. assembly plant.

• RTI sells Pierce-Spafford unit for $12.5M May 01, 2013

  RTI International Metals Inc. has sold Pierce-Spafford Metals Co. Inc. to Titanium Industries Inc. for $12.5 million in cash in a deal that underscores long-term strategies at both companies.

• State-owned enterprises muddle TPP talks May 01, 2013

  Discussions on how to manage state-owned enterprises (SOEs) may come under increased scrutiny in future negotiations over what could be one of the largest trade agreements to date—the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

• OSHA accuses pipe supplier of violating safety standards May 01, 2013

  Pipe supplier Everett J. Prescott Inc. (EJP) faces $76,230 in fines for allegedly violating workplace safety standards, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced.

• Artco Group consolidates to cater to energy market Apr 30, 2013

  Artco Group International Inc. has merged its Artco Steel and Houston Blow Pipe operations, assembling a unified sales team catering to customers of both entities and offering a broader spectrum of product and service offerings, president and chief executive officer Jeffrey Himmel told AMM.

• L.B. Foster’s 1st-qtr. earnings jump 46.2% Apr 30, 2013

  L.B. Foster Co. recorded net income of nearly $4.93 million in the first quarter, up 46.2 percent from $3.37 million in the same 2012 period.

• Banker Steel expansion set for production Apr 30, 2013

  Structural steel fabricator Banker Steel Co. will begin producing remotely constructed building modules at its 50,000-square-foot expansion in Lynchburg, Va., next week as the company sets its sights on a growing market.

• A.M. Castle's net loss widens to $10.6M Apr 30, 2013

  Specialty metals distributor A.M. Castle & Co. fell further into the red in the first quarter.

• SCM implements 2.5¢/lb. price cut Apr 30, 2013

  Service Center Metals LLC (SCM) has lowered prices on all products by 2.5 cents per pound.

• Noble Energy restructuring to support expected growth Apr 30, 2013

  Noble Energy Inc. is restructuring its operations "to support the material growth it is anticipating over the next several years," the company said.

• Lucas-Milhaupt buys brazing firm Apr 30, 2013

  Lucas-Milhaupt Inc., a subsidiary of Handy & Harman Ltd., has acquired Wolverine Joining Technologies, a subsidiary of Wolverine Tube Inc.

• Chrysler’s first-quarter net income shrinks Apr 29, 2013

  Chrysler Group LLC’s first-quarter net income tumbled 64.9 percent from the same period last year, which the automaker blamed on reduced vehicle shipments because of key product launches.

• Crude-by-rail business gaining speed Apr 29, 2013

  As the volume of crude oil shipments by rail continues to accelerate, more Class I railroads are teaming up with producers, refineries, pipeline and terminal operators, and others to move the product to consumption points.