Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Canadian/American currency exchange
I haven't written about currency issues here. Mostly I write about general stamping issues. This posting is written more from a Canadian stamping perspective.
The drop in value of the US $ is really starting to hurt us Canadian manufacturers.
On the one hand, it's nice to get your raw materials cheaper. For instance, copper isn't hurting us nearly as much as you might think, since it's basically valued in US $ and we're buying it in Canadian.
On the other hand, exports are a big part of our economy. It's hard to say, even for an individual company, what fraction of sales are exported, because not all are direct exports. Some products, especially small metal parts, the area we're in, get combined with other things by another canadian company before being exported to the US.
But sales to the US are hurting. If we keep the US$ price, we are losing our markup. If we ask for the Canadian price, it varies from one shipment to the next, an unfamiliar situatior for most american customers, who reject the idea. Even if they don't, it prices us out of the market when compared to similarly qualified US suppliers.
It's going to be an intesting ride ...
The drop in value of the US $ is really starting to hurt us Canadian manufacturers.
On the one hand, it's nice to get your raw materials cheaper. For instance, copper isn't hurting us nearly as much as you might think, since it's basically valued in US $ and we're buying it in Canadian.
On the other hand, exports are a big part of our economy. It's hard to say, even for an individual company, what fraction of sales are exported, because not all are direct exports. Some products, especially small metal parts, the area we're in, get combined with other things by another canadian company before being exported to the US.
But sales to the US are hurting. If we keep the US$ price, we are losing our markup. If we ask for the Canadian price, it varies from one shipment to the next, an unfamiliar situatior for most american customers, who reject the idea. Even if they don't, it prices us out of the market when compared to similarly qualified US suppliers.
It's going to be an intesting ride ...
Labels: Copper, currency, manufacturing
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Two ways of making steel, both produce greenhouse gases
The Plain Dealer had two good articles on global warming tradeoffs in steel making. The URL listed here is the shorter article. Basically, the electric arc furnaces create less greenhouse gasses, but even they aren't perfect, because the vast quantities of electricity they use isn't clean yet either.
The longer, more detailed article is here.
There are two basic ways to make steel in this country. One is from scratch. The other is by recycling.
And as you might expect, the scale is now balanced toward recycling.
Slightly less than 60 percent of raw steel production in the United States is generated in electric arc furnaces, which melt steel scrap to produce new product.
The longer, more detailed article is here.
There are two basic ways to make steel in this country. One is from scratch. The other is by recycling.
And as you might expect, the scale is now balanced toward recycling.
Slightly less than 60 percent of raw steel production in the United States is generated in electric arc furnaces, which melt steel scrap to produce new product.
Labels: steel
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Hamond Industries Ltd Acquisition by Bohne Spring Industries Ltd
Hamond Industries Ltd, the company that brought you this blog for the last 4 years, has been acquired by Bohne Spring Industries Ltd. This blog will probably continue, but perhaps in a modified form. Stay tuned ...
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Bulldozers clear site for ThyssenKrupp steel mill
Montgomery Advertiser.com
Bulldozers are clearing a 3,500-acre forest beside the Tombigbee River in southwest Alabama. It won't be a vast empty lot for long as construction begins next year on the $3.7 billion ThyssenKrupp steel mill.
Top executives from the German firm, Gov. Bob Riley and more than 700 state and local officials attended Friday's groundbreaking for the massive project off U.S. 43.
"We will be in Alabama for decades to come, providing good jobs for many generations," ThyssenKrupp AG Chairman Dr. Ekkehard D. Schulz said before a high school band struck up "Sweet Home Alabama."
The company's new plant in Brazil, set to start production in 2009, will ship its steel slabs to the Alabama plant, which will produce 5.1 million metric tons of steel products.
Bulldozers are clearing a 3,500-acre forest beside the Tombigbee River in southwest Alabama. It won't be a vast empty lot for long as construction begins next year on the $3.7 billion ThyssenKrupp steel mill.
Top executives from the German firm, Gov. Bob Riley and more than 700 state and local officials attended Friday's groundbreaking for the massive project off U.S. 43.
"We will be in Alabama for decades to come, providing good jobs for many generations," ThyssenKrupp AG Chairman Dr. Ekkehard D. Schulz said before a high school band struck up "Sweet Home Alabama."
The company's new plant in Brazil, set to start production in 2009, will ship its steel slabs to the Alabama plant, which will produce 5.1 million metric tons of steel products.
Labels: steel
Copper Continues Recent Slump
Nasdaq news
Copper continued its recent slide on Friday in U.S. trading. December-stamped copper contracts were at $3,325, down 3.75 cents on the session. The red metal dropped more than 20 cents on the week.
The metal moved lower throughout the week as economic concerns in the U.S. continued. Since the metal is often used by builders in construction, economic growth or lack thereof often moves the copper market. Investors continued to mull the US Federal Reserve's decision to lower its interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.5% on Wednesday.
Copper continued its recent slide on Friday in U.S. trading. December-stamped copper contracts were at $3,325, down 3.75 cents on the session. The red metal dropped more than 20 cents on the week.
The metal moved lower throughout the week as economic concerns in the U.S. continued. Since the metal is often used by builders in construction, economic growth or lack thereof often moves the copper market. Investors continued to mull the US Federal Reserve's decision to lower its interest rates by 25 basis points to 4.5% on Wednesday.
Labels: Copper
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Copper prices fall, global stockpiles increase
Bloomberg.com
Copper prices fell in Shanghai as global stockpiles kept rising, renewing concern that demand is slowing for the metal used in wires and pipes.
Copper prices fell in Shanghai as global stockpiles kept rising, renewing concern that demand is slowing for the metal used in wires and pipes.
