GARY, Ind. – MetalMiner™, the leading metal market price intelligence brand and SaaS platform, providing forecasts, analysis and risk mitigation solutions for global manufacturers, has moved to newly incorporated Alpha Commodities, spinning out of parent company Azul Partners. Supply chain disruptions, lack of material availability, high prices and rampant inflation have wreaked havoc for manufacturers […]
Category: Sourcing Strategies
China raises rare earth production quotas to record levels as prices surge
China has previously been cast in a sinister role with respect to restricting the production and export of critical rare earth metals, usually salts, used to produce a host of products. Those products include magnets for consumers electronics and electric cars, defense equipment and advanced ceramics. But while the country deliberately created a near monopoly […]
How much should a city trash can really cost?
Walk down just about any major city in the United States and, eventually, you’ll walk past a city-installed garbage can. Maybe you’ll see a classic black trash receptacle, with the black vertical paneling and open top. Or, maybe, you might see a trash receptacle with a top-side lid that opens and closes (like you might […]
With contracting season ahead, MetalMiner Annual Forecasting Workshop to offer look at buying strategies
The past year since the last MetalMiner Forecasting Workshop has been a turbulent one for metals markets. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, plummeting demand, plant idlings, fast-recovering demand in certain sectors, bullwhip effects, material shortages, rising prices, rising delivery premiums — on and on and on. For metals buyers, planning out metals spend — […]
This Morning in Metals: Biden administration releases 100-day supply chain review
This morning in metals news: the Biden administration today released a 250-page report detailing the findings of its 100-day supply chain review; meanwhile, the US steel capacity utilization rate ticked up to 82.3%; and, lastly, the U.S. goods and services deficit fell in April compared with the previous month. Each month, MetalMiner hosts a webinar […]
Week in Review: Copper overheating?; cobalt pilot project; MetalMiner webinars
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 copper price developments, an upcoming MetalMiner webinar and more: The MetalMiner Best Practice Library offers a wealth of knowledge and tips to help buyers stay on top of metals markets and […]
This Morning in Metals: Copper production from top 10 companies to rise up to 3.8% in 2021, GlobalData forecasts
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 […]
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 […]