This morning in metals news: consultancy GlobalData forecast copper production from the top 10 copper mining companies will rise by up to 3.8% this year; meanwhile, the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs advanced a bill that aims to strengthen Buy American requirements; and, lastly, US import prices rose in April. The […]
Category: Sourcing Strategies
A year later: Chatting with Josh Gilbert of Temperance Beer Co. on the aluminum can shortage, COVID-19 impacts
A little over a year has come and gone since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the US. In addition to the immense human toll, the pandemic has changed the way many people live their lives. Work situations have changed, as many have switched out commutes to the office for a morning commute to their […]
Supply chains at risk as the world moves toward electrification
A recent Telegraph article suggests the West is sleepwalking into missing the next industrial revolution as China voraciously buys up raw material assets around the world. Those assets include securing its future supplies of cobalt, copper, lithium and other metals. The aforementioned comes in addition to its current domination of rare earth metals. The MetalMiner […]
Ever Given freed in Suez Canal, but ripple effect on trade will linger
As the days went by and the disruption from the blockage of the Suez Canal by the container vessel Ever Given increased, the implications became more and more severe. We’re offering timely emails with exclusive analyst commentary and some best practice advice. Sign up here. Not all of those 360 vessels backed up waiting for […]
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 […]
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 […]
Biden signs executive order aimed at securing supply chains for semiconductors, critical minerals
President Joe Biden’s latest executive order seeks to secure a variety of important supply chains. For example, in one higher-profile case, General Motors recently announced it would extend downtimes at several plants as a result of a semiconductor shortage. As we’ve noted in our Rare Earths Monthly Metals Index (MMI) series, rare earths supply has […]
This Morning in Metals: Officials break ground for AM/NS Calvert expansion project
This morning in metals news: officials held a groundbreaking ceremony at the AM/NS Calvert mill earlier this month; President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order that calls for assessments of several critical supply chains; and US housing starts fell in January. AM/NS Calvert officials hail expansion project Officials celebrated the imminent expansion […]
Biden executive orders target climate change, federal procurement of domestic goods
In just over two weeks, President Joe Biden has signed 28 executive orders aimed at a wide variety of issues. The orders range from Medicaid to the country’s pandemic response to augmenting public health supply chains. Relevant to metals, Biden signed two orders aimed at increasing domestic content in federal procurement and the climate crisis. […]
