Steel

• Evraz NA’s Michael Rehwinkel new AISI chairman May 16, 2013

  Michael T. Rehwinkel, president and chief executive officer of Evraz Inc. North America, has been elected chairman of the American Iron and Steel Institute.

• West Coast structural tubing price hike erodes May 16, 2013

  The last vestiges of a West Coast hike of $30 per ton on structural steel tubing appear to be fading away as prices return to previous levels.

• Brazil pig iron exports drop in April May 16, 2013

  Brazil’s merchant pig iron exports fell sharply in April, largely due to lower shipments to U.S. buyers.

• 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.

• Long steel prices said on course for new floor May 15, 2013

  The embattled long steel products market is likely heading toward a new pricing floor and any rebound is a long way off, according to a short-range forecast by the International Rebar Exporters and Producers Association (Irepas).

• Americas write-down sends TK to loss in qtr. May 15, 2013

  German steel producer and industrial manufacturer ThyssenKrupp AG reported a net loss attributable to its shareholders of €656 million ($843.6 million) for the quarter ending March 31, the company said May 15.

• Labrador Iron Mines signs two-year iron ore deal with IOC May 15, 2013

  Canadian iron ore producer Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Ltd. (LIM) has renewed its iron ore sales agreement with Iron Ore Co. of Canada (IOC) for all of its iron ore production in 2013 and 2014.

• ArcelorMittal USA sets restart of Pa. coke plant for May 2014 May 15, 2013

  ArcelorMittal USA LLC has confirmed that it is on track to restart its coke operations in Monessen, Pa., in May 2014.

• Stemcor said planning asset sales as part of restructuring May 15, 2013

  Stemcor Holdings Ltd., the world’s largest steel trader, plans to divest parts of its business in a wider restructuring process implemented by new chief executive officer Julian Verden, sources close to the company told AMM sister publication Steel First.

• Sheet depressed amid oversupply, flat orders May 15, 2013

  The steel sheet spot market has dragged its feet this week as thin margins and short lead times continue to hinder pricing upside.

• NW Pipe margins bring mart nearer trade case May 14, 2013

  Domestic producers of energy tubulars saw weak first-quarter results across the board, and the industry is now a step nearer to filing a trade complaint, according to Scott Montross.

• ITA begins probe into steel rail tie wire imports May 14, 2013

  The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated an anti-dumping duty investigation into imports of prestressed concrete steel rail tie wire from China, Mexico and Thailand.

• SBQ prices follow scrap down: buyers May 14, 2013

  Hot-rolled and cold-finished bar product prices both fell in May amid lower scrap surcharges, with hot-rolled taking the bigger tumble, market sources said.

• SDI lowering SBQ surcharge, adjusting alloy extras May 14, 2013

  Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) will lower its scrap surcharge on special bar quality (SBQ) products rolled at its Pittsboro, Ind., mill by $1 per hundredweight ($20 per ton) effective June 1.

• Atkore swings to net loss on decline in pipe prices May 14, 2013

  Atkore International Holdings Inc. posted a $2-million net loss for its fiscal second quarter vs. net income of $4 million in the same period a year ago on sales that fell 4.9 percent to $406 million, the company said.

• 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.

• Stainless base price hike needed: Harshman May 14, 2013

  Stainless steel prices are currently at "unsustainable levels," Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) chairman, president and chief executive officer Richard Harshman told AMM.

• Trader Jeff Allman exits Trafigura May 14, 2013

  Jeff Allman, a ferrous raw materials trader at Trafigura AG/NEMS (USA) Inc., is no longer with the company, a spokesman confirmed.

• Evraz names Zanieski flat steel, recycling vp May 14, 2013

  Evraz Inc. North America has named John Zanieski executive vice president of the company’s flat products group and recycling, the company said May 14.

• Maruichi appoints Midwest sales chief May 14, 2013

  Maruichi Leavitt Pipe & Tube LLC has appointed Mark Goodkind as Midwest sales manager.

• Debt soars at biggest Chinese mills in qtr. May 14, 2013

  Debt held by China’s 86 largest steelmakers grew 6.3 percent in the first quarter to about 3 trillion yuan ($484 billion), underlining the tough state of market conditions.

• Gerdau’s SAP system begins to find footing May 14, 2013

  Gerdau Long Steel North America has solved most of the shipping delays caused by the first-quarter installation of its new SAP software, although buyers maintain some minor teething pains persist with the new inventory tracking system.

• Japanese steelmakers’ focus turns to intermediate exports May 14, 2013

  Japanese steelmakers are expected to increasingly focus their exports on intermediate products rather than high-grade processed ones, a senior industry executive told AMM sister publication Steel First.