Going Green Generates Jobs, Contributions

Good news for going green – the U.S. recycling industry has generated over $87 billion in economic activity this year, and currently provides about 463,000 jobs. Scrap companies have contributed an estimated $4 billion to state and local governments.

A recent study with these findings was conducted by John Dunham & Associates Inc., based in New York. The group has estimated that the industry provides revenue of almost $4 billion in state and local taxes and $6.3 billion in federal taxes which are paid by companies and the workers they employ.

The report also explained that U.S. scrap exports to nearly 160 countries brought in $27.8 billion in sales last year. International trade is a key part of the U.S. economy, and almost $2.2 trillion in total goods and services have been exported from the U.S. since 2012.

-AMM

MB to decide on winner of aluminium contest

Best of luck to the final choices for Metal Bulletin’s aluminium awards! The winner will be announced in about two months. You can read the full article on MB’s website here.

MB appoints weighty judges for its inaugural aluminium awards

July 22, 2013 – 13:28 GMT Location: London

KEYWORDS: aluminium awards , Metal Bulletin

Two PhDs, one MBA, one MBE – and a pair of commodity journalists – make up the panel that will judge the shortlisted candidates for Metal Bulletin’s inaugural awards for aluminium excellence, which will be announced in two months.

The awards panel will be recognizing companies and people across eight categories: aluminium smelting company of the year; aluminium mill or fabricator of the year; aluminium’s rising star of the year for both people and companies; industry ambassador of the year; excellence in operational management for smelters and mills; the best brownfield or greenfield technology; and environmental responsibility. The external judges have decades of expertise and experience in the aluminium market, in a range of senior industry positions

Demand for steel is still strong

According to recent news from the American Metals Market (AMM) bulletin, demand for strong sheet steel is still high. So far in July, interest has remained steady, and end-use markets have been providing a large percentage of the optimistic sentiments surrounding the metal.

In an interview they conducted recently with a Midwest service center source, business is good and has been steadily improving since May.

Hot-rolled brand prices remain little changed, holding at $32 per hundredweight (or $640/ ton), and cold-rolled coil is slightly up at $37.50 per cwt.

Marketing and steel factory leaders are speculating that the recent strength of steel is due in large part to supply side disruptions, such as the as yet unresolved lockout at the U.S. Steel Corp.’s Lake Erie Works location in Nanticoke, Ontario. Another key factor this week is the accidental outage of a blast furnace at AK Steel Corp’s OH-based company.

Slimmer inventories overall have also meant a modest spike for sheet demand and prices, as mills have eagerly been getting in on the positive sentiment.

Manufacturers and sellers continue to look towards September as another key date for steel price and progress assessment.

Bulk alloy prices spiral downwards in European markets

From metalbulletin.com:

Bulk alloys ‘bloodbath’ as prices unwind further

July 01, 2013 – 15:05 GMT Location: London

KEYWORDS: ferro-chrome , ferro-manganese , silico-manganese , ferro-silicon , manganese ore , Europe , Metal Bulletin

European bulk alloys prices suffered fresh shocks on Friday June 28, as prices fell sharply amid protracted poor spot demand, weaker local currencies and desperate selling before the European summer.

Chrome and manganese alloys have been chalking up new multi-year lows for weeks, despite producer complaints over several months that prices are below production costs. “For high carbon ferro-chrome, 96 cents is a good average for the high; it’s a bloodbath. And silico-manganese, that’s another bloodbath,” one bulk alloys supplier said. High carbon ferro-chrome is at its lowest level since December 2009, trading at 90-96 cents per lb, down from 92-98 cents on June 21.

READ FULL ARTICLE ON METAL BULLETIN