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In memory of horrors and heroes
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Austenitic Stainless Prices Expected To Continue Slumping
Prices have plunged by about $1650 a ton in the last year for type 304 stainless steel, and they are expected to continue dropping through the end of 2008. This according to the British global metals tracking firm MEPS.
MEPS does expect an uptick in consumption beginning in 2009, which should send prices on an upward track once again.
Stainless is heading in the opposite direction from the general upward trend in global steel prices, which are expected to hit a peak soon, according to MEPS. |
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Russian Steel Maker To Acquire John Maneely
Novolipetsk Steel, the leading Russian steel producer, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the largest U.S. steel pipe and tube manufacturer, John Maneely Co. (JMC), from a shareholder group that includes global private equity firm The Carlyle Group and the Zekelman family for $3.53 billion, on a debt-free, cash-free basis. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Read the full story of the JMC acquisition here.
China Charged With Stainless Pipe Dumping
The U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC) issued a preliminary determination on August 28 that Chinese imports of welded austenitic stainless steel pressure pipe were dumped at a margin of 22.03%. The petition was brought by four U.S. producers -- Bristol Metals, Felker Brothers, Outokumpu Stainless Pipe and Marcegaglia USA, along with the United Steelworkers union. Products subject to the petition are primarily ASTM A-312 or A-778 specifications using grade 304 or 316 stainless steel, used in various high-pressure applications. Imports of these products from China increased 227% between 2005 and 2007. The DOC will make final subsidy and dumping determinations in Jan. 2009, and
the International Trade Commission is expected to make a final injury determination in Feb. 2009.
Mueller Hires Armstrong Vet As COO
Robert Leggett has been named chief operating officer of Mueller Water Products
. He will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Mueller Water Products' three divisions: Mueller Co., U.S. Pipe and Anvil, with the division presidents reporting directly to him. Leggett, 49, has more than 25 years of general management experience, most recently serving as senior vice president Americas & Europe for Armstrong Building Products.
Plymouth Tube Names Technical Development Mgr.
Ed Blessman has accepted the position of technical development manager with Plymouth Tube Co. He
joined Plymouth during the 2007 acquisition of the East Troy, WI Trentweld plant as condenser product manager. Blessman will continue to be active in supporting sales and marketing efforts in the power generation industry as well as utilizing his 30+ years experience in technical and developmental research.
National Sales Co. Opens New Facility
 St. Louis-based industrial PVF and HVAC distributor
National Sales Co. has opened its third warehouse facility in Edwardsville, IL. Shown here at the ribbon cutting ceremony are (from left): second generation owners Nancy & Michael Jersa Sr., 3rd generation owners Susanne Knese and President Leonard Knese, and branch manager Tim Smith. The Edwardsville location serves as a pick-up and will call facility with "hot shot" delivery available.
U.S. Steel Tubular Reaches Labor Agreement
United States Steel Corp.
and its U. S. Steel Tubular Products subsidiary announced that its United Steelworkers-represented employees have ratified new four-year collective bargaining agreements. One agreement covers approximately 16,000 employees at U. S. Steel's domestic flat-rolled and iron ore mining facilities as well as tubular operations in Lorain, OH, and Fairfield, AL. The second agreement covers approximately 900 employees at U. S. Steel Tubular Products' Texas Operations Div., a welded tubular products facility in Lone Star, TX. The agreements, which are effective Sept. 1, contain no-strike provisions and expire on Sept. 1, 2012.
Velan To Expand In Montreal
Velan Inc. announced an expansion of its three Montreal plants in Saint-Laurent, which will include additional plant facilities, machinery, and equipment to increase capacity, improve productivity and enhance the company's R&D capabilities. The total cost of this project will be approximately $25 million over the next three years.
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Here's Some Really Important, Really Bad News
It doesn't matter what your politics are or who you vote for, every American ought to demand that our leaders address this ticking time bomb.
Alas, it's about the last thing any of the folks running for national offices want to talk about, because solutions will be difficult and painful. And, it will be hard to put all the blame on the other party.
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| AEC Store's FEATURED Product
Intro to Pipe, Valves & Fittings
This course provides employees new to the PVF/plumbing industry with an overview of piping products, fittings and valves. It includes definitions of common industry terms, descriptions of basic types of plumbing systems and explanations of specifications for pipe, valves and fittings. $134.00 CLICK HERE
to order.
Visit AECstore.com
to view all of our Plumbing resources or all Stephanie at 248-244-1275 with any questions. |
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Tech Tips by Gregg Marshall
To help you make the most of the Digital Age.
So you need to have a meeting or conference call with 10 people.
The emails start. Who is available when? Is this option or the other better for most people? If everyone is hitting reply all, then hundreds of emails could be generated.
What a pain!
There are web based alternatives (
http://www.setameeting.com or http://whenisgood.net/).
You log in, set the parameters of options for when to meet, and the email addresses of who is attending. They get an email with a link to a custom preference page. They give their preferences, the website keeps track of the "votes." When everyone is done (or as many as you want), you take the best option and send out the invite.
So is next Tuesday at 9 am good for you?
Gregg Marshall, CPMR, CSP, is president of Rep Connection Inc. He can be reached by e-mail at gmarshall@repconnection.com, or visit his LinkedIn profile at
http://www.linkedin.com/in/greggmarshall. |
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What's The Industry Buzzing About?
One way to tell is to visit the website of Supply House Times
. If you scroll to the bottom of the lead page, you will find lists of the "Most E-Mailed" and "Most Popular Articles" (as measured by visitations). This gives a pretty good feel for what industry citizens regard as important.
For example, as of yesterday, these were the give "Most E-Mailed" articles accessed at the Supply House Times website and passed along.
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| AEC Store's FEATURED Product
Introduction to Steel, Stainless Steel, Iron Pipe and Fittings
This course reviews the types, classifications and uses of steel, stainless steel, iron pipe and fittings. $134.00 CLICK HERE to order.
Visit AECstore.com
to view all of our Plumbing resources or all Stephanie at 248-244-1275 with any questions. |
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Modern Engineering Concepts 2008 Webinar Series
Presented by John Siegenthaler, P.E.
This Fall begins the next series of Webinars presenting the latest concepts in modern hydronic heating system design. Each offers a 1.5 Certificate of Completion for Continuing Education and is the fraction of the cost to travel to a live conference.
Cast- Iron Boiler Technology: Past, Present, and Future
September 11 at 1pm ET
Cast iron boilers have been the backbone of the hydronics industry for decades. Some might suggest that cast-iron boilers are dated and approaching obsolescence relative to newer boilers constructed of other materials. This seminar will show why this is NOT the case. You'll also learn why cast-iron, although it may appear gray or rusty in it's raw form, is really a very "green" material.
The Application of Storage Tanks in Hydronic & Solar Thermal Systems
October 16 at 1pm ET
This Webinar covers a wide range of tank applications and presents technical information on where the tanks are needed, how they are sized, and the best way to pipe them into specific systems. Although storage tanks have been part of some hydronic systems for years, this webinar will present unique and state-of-the-art applications that will help define the future of hydronic and solar thermal systems.
TBD
November 13 at 1pm ET
TBD
December 11 at 1pm ET
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