Thursday, May 31, 2007
STAINLESS STEEL PRODUCERS SET TO ACTIVELY PROMOTE NICKEL-FREE GRADES
The question becomes, will end use customers accept the new materials? Will they form similarly enough that they can be used with existing tooling? Or will jobs need to be retooled?
Our experience with one these grades (409) was that it was less "stainless", and that it required different tool steels to cut and form.
The significant investment in new equipment by steel mills implies they believe the run-up in nickel prices is not going to be short-lived. They presumably know - they're in the business. But re-tooling decisions (if needed) of stamping jobs would be made with people with less experience forecasting the future. So it isn't clear if customers will be able to switch all that quickly.
MEPS
The global stainless steel scene is changing rapidly. Customer backlash against the rising cost of nickel has been taken on board by the producers. Mills are now taking seriously market demand for low or non nickel grades.
Posco has launched a nickel free stainless steel into its portfolio. This follows similar actions earlier by Japanese producers. Outokumpu, which has traditionally been mainly a supplier of austenitic grades, is to increase its production of ferritic types. This has involved a significant investment in new equipment. Output of ferritic grades is also to be expanded from the new melting shop at Lianzhong, in China.
Global supplies of 300 series material have in the past formed 75 percent of total stainless deliveries. It is interesting to note that Thyssen Krupp recently announced that it may lift output of nickel free steel from the existing figure of 30 percent up to 35 percent. We have reports that an Arcelor Mittal senior executive sees the potential to push up production of non nickel grades to 70 percent in the long term.
Our experience with one these grades (409) was that it was less "stainless", and that it required different tool steels to cut and form.
The significant investment in new equipment by steel mills implies they believe the run-up in nickel prices is not going to be short-lived. They presumably know - they're in the business. But re-tooling decisions (if needed) of stamping jobs would be made with people with less experience forecasting the future. So it isn't clear if customers will be able to switch all that quickly.
MEPS
The global stainless steel scene is changing rapidly. Customer backlash against the rising cost of nickel has been taken on board by the producers. Mills are now taking seriously market demand for low or non nickel grades.
Posco has launched a nickel free stainless steel into its portfolio. This follows similar actions earlier by Japanese producers. Outokumpu, which has traditionally been mainly a supplier of austenitic grades, is to increase its production of ferritic types. This has involved a significant investment in new equipment. Output of ferritic grades is also to be expanded from the new melting shop at Lianzhong, in China.
Global supplies of 300 series material have in the past formed 75 percent of total stainless deliveries. It is interesting to note that Thyssen Krupp recently announced that it may lift output of nickel free steel from the existing figure of 30 percent up to 35 percent. We have reports that an Arcelor Mittal senior executive sees the potential to push up production of non nickel grades to 70 percent in the long term.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Copper May Fall Next Week on Speculation China Demand Will Slow
bloomberg.com
Copper may fall next week on speculation that demand will slow in China, the largest buyer of the metal, following a surge in imports in the first quarter.
Yahoo Asia:
copper rebounded on Friday, but analysts think the overall trend of rising copper stocks and lower demand over coming months could pressure prices down further.
Copper futures shed 2.3%
China Daily
Copper futures in Shanghai fell by [...] nearly 4 percent, by midday on Friday before closing [...] down 2.3 percent from the previous close, because of growing investors' concern about rising stocks of the industrial metal in China.
Copper may fall next week on speculation that demand will slow in China, the largest buyer of the metal, following a surge in imports in the first quarter.
Yahoo Asia:
copper rebounded on Friday, but analysts think the overall trend of rising copper stocks and lower demand over coming months could pressure prices down further.
Copper futures shed 2.3%
China Daily
Copper futures in Shanghai fell by [...] nearly 4 percent, by midday on Friday before closing [...] down 2.3 percent from the previous close, because of growing investors' concern about rising stocks of the industrial metal in China.
Pedal-steel guitar players a vanishing breed
Well, this doesn't have anything to do with metal stamping, but it is about steel, pedal steel guitars, and, what the hey!, it's the weekend.
I like pedal steel guitar, when it's well played, which isn't all that often. It's got a unique sound - like a guitar, but then, not like a guitar. And they sit to play them.
Montgomery Advertiser
Changing times and tunes have cut deeply into an American musical icon -- the pedal-steel guitar.
Not only is it a difficult instrument to play, but most who mastered it are a bit long in the tooth, and there aren't many younger musicians willing to learn from them.
And it takes a while to get good at it.
I like pedal steel guitar, when it's well played, which isn't all that often. It's got a unique sound - like a guitar, but then, not like a guitar. And they sit to play them.
Montgomery Advertiser
Changing times and tunes have cut deeply into an American musical icon -- the pedal-steel guitar.
Not only is it a difficult instrument to play, but most who mastered it are a bit long in the tooth, and there aren't many younger musicians willing to learn from them.
And it takes a while to get good at it.
Labels: steel
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Toronto gets its very own coil steel rollover
Over the last few months I've reported on runaway coils of steel in big steel areas.
I live in Toronto, and us Torontonians are very competitive. We hate being left out in any competition. So now we too can boast our own near disaster with coiled steel.
The accident happened at what has to be the busiest highway interchange in Toronto, and probably in all of Ontario.
Courtesy of CityNews.com
A tractor trailer rolled over at Highways 400 and 401, shutting down a ramp and making things that much worse on the drive to work.
The rig, carrying rolls of steel, flipped on its side on the ramp from the southbound 400 to the westbound 401 at about 4:30am. Fortunately the driver was okay, only suffering some cuts and scrapes. The mess could have been much worse had there been a fuel spill, but luckily the tanks didn't crack.
There was concern that the saddle tanks might burst when the truck, with its heavy load, was brought back into an upright position. That's why it took about four hours to get the vehicle back on its wheels. However, it's since been cleared from the scene and the roadway has apparently reopened. Traffic on the 401 was slow through the area during the rush hour because drivers were stopping to look, however things have since returned to normal.
Map of the area of the interchange
I live in Toronto, and us Torontonians are very competitive. We hate being left out in any competition. So now we too can boast our own near disaster with coiled steel.
The accident happened at what has to be the busiest highway interchange in Toronto, and probably in all of Ontario.
Courtesy of CityNews.com
A tractor trailer rolled over at Highways 400 and 401, shutting down a ramp and making things that much worse on the drive to work.
The rig, carrying rolls of steel, flipped on its side on the ramp from the southbound 400 to the westbound 401 at about 4:30am. Fortunately the driver was okay, only suffering some cuts and scrapes. The mess could have been much worse had there been a fuel spill, but luckily the tanks didn't crack.
There was concern that the saddle tanks might burst when the truck, with its heavy load, was brought back into an upright position. That's why it took about four hours to get the vehicle back on its wheels. However, it's since been cleared from the scene and the roadway has apparently reopened. Traffic on the 401 was slow through the area during the rush hour because drivers were stopping to look, however things have since returned to normal.
Map of the area of the interchange
Monday, May 14, 2007
Magna fails to buy Chrysler
So the big news today, at least in the metal stamping area, is Magna's failure to buy Chrysler. Instead, Cerberus has bought Chrysler.
Well, so much to say.
I was really hoping that Magna would succeed. For several reasons.
I hear Frank Stronach is a good guy, who doesn't hesitate to get out on the factory floor when it's needed.
I think it would be nice if one of the three Detroit car companies was run, or at least a controlling share went to, someone who knows something about metal stamping.
And Magna's a Canadian company, so there was some hope that some stamping jobs would stay in Canada.
Now, if possible, an investment company that knows, if anything, even less about metal stamping than Chrysler itself did, is going to be at the helm. It's hard to see how this could be good for metal stampers supplying the industry.
And Cerberus. What a choice! The symbolism is stunning. In Greek mythology, Cerberus is the three headed hound with a snake for a tail that guards the gates of Hades. He ensured that only the spirits of the dead could enter but none could leave.
Well, so much to say.
I was really hoping that Magna would succeed. For several reasons.
I hear Frank Stronach is a good guy, who doesn't hesitate to get out on the factory floor when it's needed.
I think it would be nice if one of the three Detroit car companies was run, or at least a controlling share went to, someone who knows something about metal stamping.
And Magna's a Canadian company, so there was some hope that some stamping jobs would stay in Canada.
Now, if possible, an investment company that knows, if anything, even less about metal stamping than Chrysler itself did, is going to be at the helm. It's hard to see how this could be good for metal stampers supplying the industry.
And Cerberus. What a choice! The symbolism is stunning. In Greek mythology, Cerberus is the three headed hound with a snake for a tail that guards the gates of Hades. He ensured that only the spirits of the dead could enter but none could leave.
Labels: auto
Friday, May 11, 2007
Aluminum-Bodied, Lighter-Weight Range Rover Coming in 2012
I thought aluminum cars had been looked at and rejected some time ago. Interesting to see they're looking at it again.
Edmunds.com
The next all-new Range Rover is coming in 2012, and reportedly it will benefit from an aluminum body shell to cut as much as 40 percent of its weight.
The U.K. publication Autocar reports that the weight savings from the change to aluminum could save 660-880 pounds from the curb weight of the big luxury SUV.
Edmunds.com
The next all-new Range Rover is coming in 2012, and reportedly it will benefit from an aluminum body shell to cut as much as 40 percent of its weight.
The U.K. publication Autocar reports that the weight savings from the change to aluminum could save 660-880 pounds from the curb weight of the big luxury SUV.
Copper Heads for Largest Weekly Drop in 3 Months
Bloomberg.com
Copper headed for its largest weekly decline in three months in London on speculation that demand growth will slow in China, the world's biggest user. Nickel and zinc rose.
China's copper imports probably slowed in April, said analysts including Kevin Norrish at Barclays Capital.
``The Chinese market is suffering temporary indigestion after the amount of material delivered into Shanghai in the first quarter,'' Norrish said today by phone from London. ``Some people expected them to buy this week when they returned to the market after the holiday, but that hasn't happened.''
Copper headed for its largest weekly decline in three months in London on speculation that demand growth will slow in China, the world's biggest user. Nickel and zinc rose.
China's copper imports probably slowed in April, said analysts including Kevin Norrish at Barclays Capital.
``The Chinese market is suffering temporary indigestion after the amount of material delivered into Shanghai in the first quarter,'' Norrish said today by phone from London. ``Some people expected them to buy this week when they returned to the market after the holiday, but that hasn't happened.''
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Chavez threatens to nationalize largest steel maker, banks - Yahoo! News
It's not clear what effect this will have on metal stampers. The concern here is steel pipe for the oil industry, which is quite a different economic marketplace. However, Sidor makes other steel products, including coil. There may be indirect effects if he succeeds in "re-prioritizing" Sidor.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened Thursday to nationalize the country's largest steel company and private banks unless they make national interests a priority.
[...]
In a nationally televised speech, the leftist president said he would nationalize steel maker Sidor if it continued to sell its products abroad instead of selling them to domestic industries, particularly in the oil sector.
[...]
Chavez said that Sidor -- a multinational steel maker that makes 60,000 tons of tubes for the oil industry -- "had created a monopoly through its relationships with other companies and they only supply the raw material to these companies, leaving us to import these tubes from China."
Sidor (Ternium) web site in English: http://www.ternium.com/en/
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez threatened Thursday to nationalize the country's largest steel company and private banks unless they make national interests a priority.
[...]
In a nationally televised speech, the leftist president said he would nationalize steel maker Sidor if it continued to sell its products abroad instead of selling them to domestic industries, particularly in the oil sector.
[...]
Chavez said that Sidor -- a multinational steel maker that makes 60,000 tons of tubes for the oil industry -- "had created a monopoly through its relationships with other companies and they only supply the raw material to these companies, leaving us to import these tubes from China."
Sidor (Ternium) web site in English: http://www.ternium.com/en/
Labels: steel
