We have written before about Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, sometimes as a result of its subsidiary Liberty Steel’s purchase of yet another (usually loss-making) steel asset. We have also covered its foray into alternative metals, such as GFG’s purchase of Rio Tinto’s aluminum smelter at Dunkirk in 2018. GFG has been admired by many for […]
Year: 2021
This Morning in Metals: Workers go on strike at Kansas steel manufacturing plant
This morning in metals news: workers went on strike at the Bradken plant in Atchison, Kansas, last week; Liberty Steel has asked for a massive government bailout in the UK; and, lastly, the copper price retraced last week. The MetalMiner Best Practice Library offers a wealth of knowledge and tips to help buyers stay on […]
US steel imports drop 22% in February
US steel imports in February — and through the first two months of the year — are down compared with 2020, the Census Bureau reported. Do you know the five best practices of sourcing metals, including steel? US steel imports in February down 22% from previous month US steel imports reached 1.71 million metric tons […]
Week in Review: Semiconductor shortage; MetalMiner webinar; rising Midwest Premium
Before we head into the weekend, let’s take a look back at the week that was and the metals storylines here on MetalMiner, including coverage of the semiconductor shortage, the Midwest Premium and more. A fire at a Japanese chip-making plant last week has slammed automotive operations. General Motors, Ford and many other automakers have […]
This Morning in Metals: Ford to temporarily idle production of F-150 at Dearborn plant
This morning in metals news: Ford Motor Co. will idle production of its F-150 truck at its Dearborn plant until Sunday; the blockage of the Suez Canal by container vessel Ever Given is having a massive impact on global trade; and, lastly, the UK government is looking at all options to prevent the collapse of […]
Economic Policy Institute: Section 232 tariffs delivered ‘near-immediate benefits’
Three years have passed since former President Donald Trump imposed Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum. The administration cited national security concerns when imposing the tariffs. In addition, it aimed to raise capacity utilization of the US steel and aluminum sectors. (For the week ending March 20, US mills reached a steel capacity utilization […]
Rising Midwest Premium reflects aluminum market tightness
The aluminum market is undeniably tight, as consumers are having to wait months for metal and the Midwest Premium rises. In some locations — Europe, in particular — consumers of rolled plate cannot secure new production space until well into Q3. Some mills have even pulled out of quoting for new business customers in 2021. […]
This Morning in Metals: U.S. Steel unveils new sustainable steel product line
This morning in metals news: U.S. Steel announced it will offer a new sustainable steel product line called verdeX™; meanwhile, Intel will invest $20 billion toward two new factories to serve the “incredible global demand for semiconductor manufacturing”; and, lastly, Century Aluminum announced a power contract in South Carolina for its Mt. Holly aluminum smelter. […]
MetalMiner Webinar: Bull market buying and preparing for when prices come back down
Industrial metal buying organizations are in a difficult spot these days, as commodities are entrenched in a bull market. After the initial demand hit that commodities took on at the end of Q1 2020 with the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, materials prices have skyrocketed. Lead times have lengthened and demand for everything from automobiles […]
Copper mine production finishes 2020 unchanged year over year
Despite significant drops in output earlier in 2020 at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, global copper mine production last year came in unchanged compared with the previous year. According to the International Copper Study Group, the global copper market posted an apparent deficit of 560,000 tons in 2020. The MetalMiner Best Practice Library offers […]