Steel News

As Mills Close, China's Rebar Supply Tightens Up

05 June 2017 - The irony here is rich: China is experiencing a short-term shortage of rebar, according to the Bloomberg news service.

North American OCTG Demand Lifts TMK Profits

19 May 2017 - Russian tubemaker TMK posted a US$42 million profit in the first quarter of 2017, buoyed by an improving oil and gas market in North America.

So Far This Year, China Is Exporting Less Steel

08 May 2017 - China’s steel exports have declined 26% through the first third of the year, according to S&P Global Platts.

Steel M&A Picks Up as Prices Recover

08 May 2017 - Rebounding steel prices and capacity cuts in China have triggered a wave of mergers and acquisitions, and plants once considered worthless are now attracting attention from investors, reports the Reuters news service.

Bloomberg: Auto Sales Begin to Cool, But They Might Not Have Been Too Hot in the First Place

04 May 2017 - In the last few years, auto production has been a sustaining end market for steelmakers. But now, demand for cars and trucks might be starting to cool, as has been expected, reports the Bloomberg news service.

Coal Prices, China Capacity Pose Challenges for Japan's Steelmakers

28 April 2017 - Japan’s three top steelmakers are successfully passing along higher raw materials costs to customers, but challenges remain as they start a new fiscal year, reports the Nikkei Asian Review.

As Market Conditions Improve, Steelmakers Appear Ready to Invest

26 April 2017 - Steel prices and demand appear to beginning to recover, and steelmakers are starting to lay new bets on gradual improvement, reports the Bloomberg new service.

World Steel Association Revises Demand Forecast Upwards

21 April 2017 - Global steel demand is expected to rise 1.3% this year to an estimated 1.54 billion metric tons, according the latest short-range outlook from the World Steel Association.

Idled Canadian OCTG Mill to Restart This Summer

27 March 2017 - Tenaris Prudential said it will restart its idled tube mill this summer and plans to recall approximately 100 employees, the company has announced.

Rising Demand Prompts NLMK to Reactivate Hot-Dipped Galvanizing Line

06 February 2017 - NLMK’s U.S. division has restarted the No. 2 galvanizing line at its Sharon Coating plant in Pennsylvania, the steelmaker announced on Monday.

SMA: There's Reason to be Cautiously Optimistic About the Domestic Steel Industry

27 January 2017 - Representatives of the Steel Manufacturers Association said the industry is “cautiously optimistic” about its prospects under the Trump administration.

Great Lakes Iron Ore Shipments Increased in 2016

17 January 2017 - The Soo Locks, which are a vital link between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes, have closed for annual maintenance, marking the end of the 2016 shipping season. And while overall cargo volumes were down, iron ore shipments increased 7.8 percent, reports the MLive news site.

U.S. Crude Steel Production Expected to Rise in 2017

28 December 2016 - U.S. crude steel production is expected to rise by around 4.4% in 2017, reports the (London) Financial Times newspaper.

U.S. Steel to Close Tube Lines at Ohio, Texas Plants

21 December 2016 - United States Steel Corp. is permanently closing one of the two seamless tube mills at its Lorain, Ohio, plant and a welded tube mill at its Lone Star, Texas, plant, reports The Times newspaper of northwest Indiana.

Schaeffler Announces Additional Job Cuts, Plant Consolidations

09 November 2016 - German roller bearings manufacturer Schaeffler said it plans to lay off 500 people and consolidate plants in Europe and the Americas as part of an expanded cost-cutting effort.

Capacity Boost May Be in Store for Indonesian Steel Complex

08 November 2016 - Indonesia’s Krakatau Steel and South Korea’s POSCO are thinking about expanding their steelmaking assets in the Indonesian province of Banten, possibly adding 3 million to 4 million tons of capacity, reports the The Jakarta Post.

Rally in Coal, Coke Prices Forces Chinese Mills to Slow Production

07 November 2016 - Some Chinese mills are throtling back production and taking early maintenance outages on account of a rally in coal and coke prices, reports the Reuters news service.

Weak Market Forces Union Electric to Consider Idling Roll Plant

02 November 2016 - Eight months after acquiring it, Union Electric Steel Corp. and parent Ampco-Pittsburgh have given notice that they might idle parts of the Åkers National Roll Co. plant in Pennsylvania due to market conditions.

TimkenSteel's Vertical Caster Surpassing Expectations

31 October 2016 - TimkenSteel is keeping its vertical jumbo-bloom caster as busy as possible, with about 45% percent of the steel melted at its Faircrest, Ohio, mill being cast on the machine, TimkenSteel chairman and chief executive Tim Timken said on Friday.

Alacero Forecasts Sees Steel Consumption on the Rise in 2017

27 October 2016 - Latin America’s steel consumption is expected to drop 6.5% this year, but is forecast to partially rebound in 2017 on growth in its major markets, according to the Latin American Steel Association.