Association News

Six U.S. manufacturers of OCTG products have formed a new Washington D.C.-based trade association called the U.S. OCTG Manufacturers Association. The six companies are Tenaris in the USA, Vallourec Star LP, Borusan Pipe US, PTC Liberty Tubulars, Welded Tube US, and Axis Pipe and Tube.

The U.S. imported 2.2 million net tons of steel and 1.8 million finished tons in October, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported. Net tons were down 0.3 percent while finished tons increased 16.2 percent compared with September.

Steel shipments were up sharply in both the United States and Canada in October, the Metals Service Center Institute reported in its latest Metals Activity Report. Aluminum shipments were down in the U.S. and increasing in Canada compared to year-ago levels.

Global crude steel production totaled 150 million metric tons in October, up 0.6 percent from the same month in 2022, worldsteel reported. Year-to-date production of 1.57 billion tons was an increase of 0.2 percent compared to the prior year.

The Aluminum Association, Instituto Mexicano del Aluminio and the Aluminium Association of Canada called for continued tariff-free trade, increased import monitoring and stronger trade enforcement in a letter to trade officials in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The letter came ahead of a summit in Mexico City highlighting the past and future of the North American aluminum trading relationship.

The Association of Metal Processors and Distributors has named Joe Cress the new board chair. He replaces Michael Barnett from Grand Steel.

The positive momentum in the manufacturing economy in September was reversed in October, the Institute for Supply Management reported. The PMI for the month was 46.7 percent, 2.3 percentage points lower than the September reading.

World crude steel production for the 63 countries reporting to worldsteel totaled 149.3 million metric tons in September, a 1.5 percent decrease compared with the same month last year.

The U.S. imported 2.2 million net tons of steel in August, a decline of 4.1 percent compared with the prior month, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported. Finished steel imports showed an even bigger decline, falling 15.1 percent to 1.6 million tons compared with August.

President Joe Biden welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel for a trade discussion that focused heavily on steel.