Steel

• Feralloy exec Stephen Szcesniak dies at 56 Dec 29, 2009

  Stephen J. Szcesniak, vice president and general manager of Feralloy Corp.’s St. Louis division, has died at his home in Edwardsville, Ill.

• AK Steel workers ratify contract extension at Coshocton Dec 29, 2009

  A three-year extension of a labor agreement covering about 340 hourly production and maintenance workers at AK Steel Corp.’s Coshocton Works in Ohio has been ratified by United Auto Workers (UAW) union members.

• Weaker US tags said behind nearly 19% steel import drop in Nov. Dec 23, 2009

  U.S. steel imports totaled 1,198,282 tonnes in November, down 18.8 percent from 1,475,031 tonnes in October, according to a preliminary Census Bureau report.

• Houston center buys huge Utah steel fabrication plant Dec 23, 2009

  Triple-S Steel Holdings Inc., a Houston-based service center specializing in structural sections and plate, has purchased the former Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I) fabrication facility in Provo, Utah, through holding company Provo Works LLC.

• 5th shareholder suit filed against NW Pipe Dec 23, 2009

  A San Diego law firm is now the fifth litigator to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of shareholders in Northwest Pipe Co., alleging violations of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) laws.

• Buyers mixed on restart of Severstal coating line Dec 23, 2009

  Some buyers of cold-rolled coated steel sheet reacted with skepticism this week upon learning that Severstal North America Inc. would restart its coating line in Martins Ferry, Ohio.

• WTO panel to probe China raw material export curbs Dec 23, 2009

  The World Trade Organization (WTO) is moving ahead to formally initiate a major trade case involving China’s alleged price manipulation and export quotas on nine key raw materials used in the production of industrial products, including steel and aluminum.

• Houston service center Triple-S buys huge Utah steel fabrication plant Dec 23, 2009

  Triple-S Steel Holdings Inc., a Houston-based service center specializing in structural sections and plate, has purchased the former Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I) fabrication facility in Provo, Utah, through holding company Provo Works LLC.

• Fifth shareholder lawsuit filed against NW Pipe Dec 23, 2009

  A San Diego law firm is now the fifth litigator to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of shareholders in Northwest Pipe Co., alleging violations of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) laws.

• WTO panel to probe China raw material export curbs Dec 23, 2009

  The World Trade Organization (WTO) is moving ahead to formally initiate a major trade case involving China’s alleged price manipulation and export quotas on nine key raw materials used in the production of industrial products, including steel and aluminum.

• Bankruptcy court judge OKs sale of Grede Foundries plants to Wayzata Dec 23, 2009

  A bankruptcy court judge has approved the sale of Grede Foundries Inc.’s principal operating plants to an affiliate of Wayzata Investment Partners LLC.

• Bucyrus set to acquire Terex mining business for $1.3B Dec 22, 2009

  Bucyrus International Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire the mining equipment business of Terex Corp. for $1.3 billion in cash.

• Coutinho & Ferrostaal files suit vs. Calif. processor over coil order Dec 22, 2009

  Coutinho & Ferrostaal Inc. is suing a California processor for breach of contract, alleging it hasn’t paid the balance on two separate orders of coil shipments imported from China.

• US, Canada rig counts jump Dec 22, 2009

  The number of drill rigs running in the United States increased by 32 last week, with the largest gain in Texas (up 20), with Canadian activity also rising by 14 rigs.

• IOC’s Bowles to step down from helm on Jan. 31 Dec 22, 2009

  The top executive at Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Co. of Canada (IOC) is stepping down from his post at the iron ore pellet manufacturer.

• Gerdau Ameristeel, Evraz NA secure credit Dec 22, 2009

  Gerdau Ameristeel Corp. and Russia’s Evraz Group SA have each secured new financing.

• ArcelorMittal division sues lime supplier Dec 22, 2009

  ArcelorMittal USA’s Burns Harbor, Ind., operation is suing a Plainfield, Ill.-based quick dolomite lime supplier for $1.5 million, alleging that even though it partially prepaid an order it never received any shipments.

• Ex-Noble president joins Shiloh Dec 22, 2009

  Craig S. Parson has been appointed vice president of sales and business development at Shiloh Industries Inc., a steel toll processor and automotive sheet blank maker.

• Midrex DRI plant slated for India Dec 22, 2009

  Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. will construct a 1.8-million-ton-per-year coal gasification-based Midrex direct-reduced iron (DRI) plant in Angul, in India’s Orissa state.

• Rod mill getting new coil handling system Dec 22, 2009

  Steel spring supplier Leggett & Platt Inc. has ordered a coil handling system for wire rod mill division Sterling Steel LLC. Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH, Linz, Austria, will make the equipment for delivery to Sterling by the end of 2010.

• Dietrich shutting framing plant in Illinois Dec 22, 2009

  Steel stud maker Dietrich Metal Framing will shut its Joliet, Ill., facility by the end of next week, the fifth Dietrich facility to be closed or idled within the past year due to the severe downturn in the construction market.

• China to drive steel demand growth in ’10: CMC Dec 22, 2009

  China will be a catalyst for global steel demand and pricing next year, based on a projected 9- to 10-percent growth in gross domestic product (GDP) and an infrastructure stimulus program expected to last two years, according to Commercial Metals Co.’s (CMC’s) top executive.

• PTC faces stalking horse objections Dec 22, 2009

  PTC Alliance Corp. is favoring its stalking horse as the best bidder at an auction of the company’s assets, although the sale hearing will continue on Jan. 4 to resolve objections surrounding the bid, the company said late Monday.

• Seversal Wheeling coating line restarting Dec 22, 2009

  To reflect increased customer orders for coated light flat-rolled steel products, the Martins Ferry, Ohio, coating line of Severstal Wheeling will return to operation Jan. 25, the company said Tuesday.