Purchasing articles from November 2005

Purchasing archives from November 2005

Forward demand indicator.(business economics)(Illustration)
November 3, 2005... PURCHASINGDATA.COM'S FORWARD DEMAND INDICATOR LAST TWELVE MONTHS SOURCE: PURCHASINGDATA.COM [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Buyers are cautious about winter business activity and their buying plans [down arrow] 0.3 Business...

Ford Motor Co. is seeking bilateral, long-term.(contracts)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Ford Motor Co. is seeking bilateral, long-term contracts with select suppliers that will change cost reduction approaches and technology procurement agreements. In its first phase, Aligned Business Framework aims to reduce by 50% the suppliers...

Chief executive officers of large companies.(survey, information technology decisions by chief information officers )(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Chief executive officers of large companies in the U.S. and Europe would like to see their business managers more involved in technology decisions. McKinsey & Co, survey finds CEOs less than thrilled by information technology decisions being...

Purchasing and Aberdeen Group are co-producing.(Chief Procurement Officers' Summit Conference)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... PURCHASING and Aberdeen Group are co-producing the Chief Procurement Officers' Summit Conference at the Westin Hotel at Copley Square in Boston on November 16 and 17. The CPO Summit will discuss supply management technologies, offshore sourcing...

The popular notion that globalization.(imports from emerging countries suppresses inflation)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... The popular notion that globalization in the form of cheap imports from India and China have suppressed inflation for good is a fairy tale, says Federal Reserve governor Donald Kohn. In fact, Fed researchers have found that goods from emerging...

Business travelers are struggling.(demand for hotel rooms)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Business travelers are struggling to find hotel rooms near the battered Gulf Coast--even rooms pre-booked before hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Data developed by Smith Travel Research for USA TODAY newspaper finds that hotel rooms in Houston,...

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.(tip sheet: KEY METRICS AND SUPPLY ALERT)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries says "there is enough evidence to indicate that oil demand growth will probably slow down further in the months to come." But the OPEC oil cartel also says a recent easing in crude prices might...

Price index, all commodities.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... PURCHASINGDATA.COM'S PRICE INDEX, all commodities Monthly, weighted, 1992 = 100 [up arrow] 18.1 [GRAPHIC OMITTED] SOURCE: PURCHASINGDATA.COM Purchasingdata.com's monthly transaction price index reflects The spike in...

Natural-gas prices have risen above $13.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Natural-gas prices have risen above $13 per million British thermal units from around $7 a year ago. With gas companies still trying to recover from late-summer hurricanes, Mike Walden, an economics professor at North Carolina State University,...

Caustic soda has risen as high as $600/metric ton.(prices: FACTORS AFFECTING PRODUCT COST)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Caustic soda has risen as high as $600/metric ton since supplies have tightened following the fire and subsequent shutdown of Formosa Chemical's Point Comfort, Texas, chloralkali plant. The new price is about $100 higher than the October...

The longer-term history of the oil market.(prices: FACTORS AFFECTING PRODUCT COST)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... "The longer-term history of the oil market is one of boom and bust," says Tim Evans, of IFR Markets. Evans feels crude is due to be halved to $30 a barrel by the second quarter of 2006. He points to government inventory data showing that retail...

Several structural steel mills are seeking $600/ton.(price hike)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Several structural steel mills are seeking $600/ton prices for wide-flange beams in November due to an uptick in demand, reduced market inventories and lower-than-expected imports. In October, beams were $545 for end-users, the same as in...

With supply staying tight, spot ethylene prices.(prices: FACTORS AFFECTING PRODUCT COST)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... With supply staying tight, spot ethylene prices have moved well above contract levels. October spot ethylene deals reached 72 cents; now, early November spot has been confirmed at 73 cents/lb. Those prices are well above the 49-59 cents...

Dow has issued 45 cents/lb price hikes.(Dow Chemical Co., vinyl acetate monomer)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Dow has issued 45 cents/lb price hikes for the U.S. and Canada sales of vinyl acetate monomer in November. "The lasting impact of two hurricanes in the Gulf Coast has created extremely high prices and limited availability of raw material and...

Spot prices for common alloy aluminum sheet.(prices: FACTORS AFFECTING PRODUCT COST)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Spot prices for common alloy aluminum sheet averaged $1.60/lb in October, and some analysts see further increases ahead. However, other analysts now see slippage in the fourth quarter. They're taking their lead from market leader Alcoa, who...

Leadtime index, all commodities.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... PURCHASINGDATA.COM's LEADTIME INDEX, all commodities (monthly, 1992=100) [down arrow] 27.3 [GRAPHIC OMITTED] SOURCE: PURCHASINGDATA.COM Buyers are experiencing shrinking leadtimes this autumn as the hurricanes have...

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita likely won't trigger.(economic conditions forecast)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Hurricanes Katrina and Rita likely won't trigger a recession in the U.S. economy, but they could slow the economy enough to make it feel like one, says Ken Goldstein, chief economist for the Conference Board research group. Stronger growth...

U.S. gross domestic product is expected to increase.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... U.S. gross domestic product is expected to increase 3.3% in 2006 after an expected 3.5% gain in 2005, says the latest consensus forecast by Blue Chip Economic Indicators. The participating economists expect the consumer price index to rise 2.9%...

U.S. consumer sentiment index tracked.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... U.S. consumer sentiment index tracked by the University of Michigan fell in early October to 75.4, the lowest level in 13 years. High gasoline prices and economic fallout from hurricane damage took their toll, dropping the consumer sentiment...

September's seasonally adjusted annual sales.(automobile sales)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... September's seasonally adjusted annual sales rate of 16.3 million motor vehicles lagged the summer's torrid pace of 16.7 million, setting the stage for what Wall Street sees as a tough stretch toward the end of the year. U.S. auto sales had...

The quarterly Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI survey.(manufacturing)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... The quarterly Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI survey sees expanded manufacturing in the fourth quarter; however, the tea leaves suggest a slower pace than was expected earlier. The latest composite index showed only a slight decline in September,...

The federal deficit fell to $319 billion.(economy: HOW SUPPLY MANAGERS SEE BUSINESS)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... The federal deficit fell to $319 billion in fiscal 2005 that ended Sept. 30, down from $413 billion the previous year, the Treasury Department reports. The fiscal 2005 deficit equaled 2.6% of gross domestic product. Treasury Secretary John Snow...

Looking for the latest reports on delivery leadtimes.(economy: HOW SUPPLY MANAGERS SEE BUSINESS)
November 3, 2005... Looking for the latest reports on delivery leadtimes of industrial commodities or packaging materials? They're available at www.purchasingdata.com. This is PURCHASING'S online proprietary source for transaction prices, leadtimes, and other...

Offshore buying plans, chemicals.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
November 3, 2005... PURCHASINGDATA.COM's OFFSHORE BUYING PLANS, CHEMICALS (Diffusion index *) [down arrow] 5.5 [GRAPHIC OMITTED] * Diffusion index registers movement; 50 = no change, above 50 = growth, below 50 = contraction. SOURCE:...

U.S. spending on information technology.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... U.S. spending on information technology will rise 5.5% in 2006, says market research firm Gartner. Spending on mobile devices will be a major priority, while spending on security will stabilize, according to a recently released survey of more...

Purchasing of commercial truck and transportation.(forecast)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Purchasing of commercial truck and transportation equipment will see 10% growth in 2006 after rising by 20% this year, according to Steve Latin-Kasper of the National Truck Equipment Association in Farmington Hills, Mich. Buys have been pushed...

Peoria, Ill.-based machinery maker Caterpillar.(Illinois)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Peoria, Ill.-based machinery maker Caterpillar is forming a new division that will focus on increasing manufacturing speed and maintaining low costs. The company has been buoyed by increasing sales fueled by a continuing demand surge from the...

Gartner analysts say worldwide personal computer.(shipments)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Gartner analysts say worldwide personal computer shipments totaled 55 million units in the third quarter, up 17.2% from a year ago. Dell continued to lead the industry in worldwide PC shipments, Gartner said, with 9.2 million in the third...

European jet maker Airbus plans to outsource.(production)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... European jet maker Airbus plans to outsource 70% of parts and production abroad, says Chief Executive Gustar Humbert. Airbus plans to give components supply contracts and production subcontract to China, Russia and India to expand into markets...

U.S.-Chinese joint venture Dongfeng Cummins Engine.(Dongfeng Cummins Engine Company Ltd. develops truck engine )(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... U.S.-Chinese joint venture Dongfeng Cummins Engine is developing a 13-liter truck engine designed to serve the high-end heavy duty truck market in China. The electronic engine is expected to be ready for production in 2009, and is being...

Hewlett-Packard is recalling 135,000 battery packs.(product defect and recall)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Hewlett-Packard is recalling 135,000 battery packs worldwide, as an internal short can cause the cells to overheat and melt, which could lead to fire. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the battery backs are used in H-P and Compaq...

Hot items.(demand for purchasing professionals )
November 3, 2005... The word is getting out: Purchasing is an important-indeed, vital--function within corporations. And that's why buyers are in demand, as our cover story, "Buyers are red hot," reports in this issue. Recruiters are seeing growing...

Accounting fiction.(Letter to the Editor)
November 3, 2005... Regarding "Factory supplies team kicks it up a notch" (PURCHASING, October 6, 2005; p. 33): Once you have assessed and analyzed your spend, narrowed your supply base and run through the never ending plethora of programs with sexy sounding...

Good job.(Letter to the Editor)
November 3, 2005... Regarding "Factory supplies team kicks it up a notch"... Very interesting! Very informative! Well-written! Jason P. Trevison Spartanburg, S. C.

Great idea.(Letter to the Editor)
November 3, 2005... Regarding "Outsourcing delivers reliability, savings," (PURCHASING, September 1, 2005; p. 38), great article! Great idea! Two questions: Were there any headcount reductions as a result of this initiative? Does this third party provider work...

Explosive growth.(Letter to the Editor)
November 3, 2005... Regarding your monthly survey of business conditions, we have seen marked increases in orders for our custom-designed products, in some cases as much as 25-50% during 2005. That's the good news. The bad news is that rather than a gradual...

Sound off!
November 3, 2005... Tell us what you think about the most important issues in the purchasing field--and the articles you read in PURCHASING magazine. You can do it in two ways: through the Readers' Rant section at Purchasing.com, where you can immediately see the...

Oil equals headache for commodity management: buyers review sourcing strategies for 2006 based on higher barrel costs.(STRATEGIC PLANNING)(rise in oil prices due to hurricanes)
November 3, 2005... As if oil prices spiraling out of control for traditional reasons weren't enough, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita added another wrinkle to the situation, frustrating buyers of commodities in a variety of areas. Department of Energy forecasters have...

Aetna's silo-busting strategy corrals SG&A spend.(SPEND ANALYSIS)(selling, general and administrative)(specific business categories or silos)
November 3, 2005... In late 2003, Aetna's senior management sent down the mandate--reduce selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses through a more integrated spend-management program. The directive was aimed primarily at the Hartford, Conn.-based...

Oracle released the PeopleSoft Enterprise Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) 8.9 and PeopleSoft Enterprise Supply Chain Management (SCM) 8.9.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Oracle released the PeopleSoft Enterprise Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) 8.9 and PeopleSoft Enterprise Supply Chain Management (SCM) 8.9. This new release represents a launching plan for Oracle Project Fusion, providing customers with...

Global Cost Control management system.(GT Nexus launches Global Cost Contro)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Supply chain software firm GT Nexus has released its Global Cost Control management system, which features capture, reporting and analysis of real-time sourcing and logistics costs as they are incurred. The new system provides a before and...

Version 5.2 of its XE Supply Management Suite of tools.(Verticalnet enhances its product)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Verticalnet recently unveiled version 5.2 of its XE Supply Management Suite of tools. More than 20 customers went live on the new suite simultaneously. Key benefits of the new suite include: improved project management and status exception...

Open Ratings.(services, risk management methods)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Looking for shortcuts on the way to supply base risk mitigation? Open Ratings has identified several tenets to best practices in risk management for the supply base. First, executive level visibility to exposure and dependency is key; secondly,...

Version 3.5 of its Fuel Management System.(FuelQuest launches enhanced version its Fuel Management System)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... FuelQuest has released version 3.5 of its Fuel Management System, which includes upgrades to its sourcing capabilities and voice-response unit capabilities, which enables remote sites to call in their inventory and sales data for replenishment...

Hurricanes have made a mockery of assured supply.(GRASSROOTS REPORT)(shortages of petrochemicals )(survey on risk management)
November 3, 2005... Goodyear Tire & Rubber has slowed tire production by 30% in North America because of disruptions in the supply of key raw materials produced in the Gulf of Mexico region. Christopher Clark, senior vice president of global sourcing at Goodyear,...

ProcureCon attendees swap ideas, lessons, business cards.(e-procurement)(ProcureCon Conference)
November 3, 2005... Want to know how to beat the competition? Follow an "E3" approach. That was the message Saqqara CEO Keith Scott gave to attendees at the 2005 ProcureCon Conference, held in late September in Scottsdale, Ariz. He delivered the opening...

Air Liquide Large Industries U.S.(gets 2004 Supplier Excellence Award from Eastman Chemical Co.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. received a 2004 Supplier Excellence Award from Eastman Chemical Co., the fourth such award from Eastman that Air Liquide has won in the last five years. Eastman's Supplier Excellence Program award is based on a...

Alcoa.(gets supplier awards)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Alcoa racked up some supplier awards recently. Its Automotive Castings business received the Best Supplier Award from Delphi's Energy & Chassis Division in Saginaw, Mich. AAC was commended for its customer responsiveness, proactive...

Premier Partner Award recipients.(American Honda Motor Co. honors suppliers)
November 3, 2005... American Honda Motor recently announced its Premier Partner Award recipients. President and CEO Koichi Kondo presented the award to 15 recipients selected from 51 suppliers nominated by American Honda associates nationwide. Following are...

YMC.(gets 2005 Global Supplier Award from Eli Lilly and Co.)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... YMC of Kyoto, Japan has received a 2005 Global Supplier Award from Eli Lilly and Co. The award is given to those companies who help Lilly create and sustain competitive advantage in the pharmaceutical marketplace. YMC is a manufacturer of bulk...

GSMS provides real-world advice on hot issues.(Purchasing Magazine's Global Supply Management Symposium analysis, procurement officer's management)
November 3, 2005... Can procurement provide competitive advantage? "Absolutely," said Alcoa CFO Richard Kelson in the keynote presentation at PURCHASING'S Global Supply Management Symposium in October. "Almost everywhere we turn I can see the purchasing...

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.(Richard E. Williams appointed)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. recently named Richard E. Williams its new vice president, global supply chain. Williams joins Cooper with more than 24 years of business experience in supply chain and purchasing activities, including nine years with...

Phelps Dodge.(Gerald Gluscic promoted)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Phelps Dodge has named Gerald Gluscic its new vice president of global supply chain management and information services. Gluscic has been chief information officer since 2001 at the company. In his new role, he will be responsible for all...

Sealy.(Randy Cowart appointed)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Sealy has a new vice president of purchasing and procurement. Randy Cowart comes to the mattress maker with 24 years of procurement experience, most recently at Springs Industries where he was chief procurement officer.

Pacific Gas & Electric.(Walter R. Rhodes appointed)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Walter R. Rhodes has been named vice president of strategic sourcing and operations support for Pacific Gas & Electric. In the new role, Rhodes will responsible for managing the utility's supply chain, as well as technological and ecological...

Purchasing leaders rank globalization a top issue.(EXCLUSIVE REPORT)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Globalization--specifically, the sourcing of an increasing amount of the value content of products--is one of the major issues purchasing professionals have to grapple with today. So say members of PURCHASING magazine's Editorial Advisory...

Gambling is cool in Vegas, but not in purchasing.(Eaton Corp.'s Rick Jacobs' supply chain risk management )
November 3, 2005... Las Vegas probably hates guys like Rick Jacobs. While he is adventurous in many ways, he isn't a gambler who throws the dice without any forethought. And considering his profession, that's a good thing. Jacobs is a professional...

Supplier performance measurement programs improve supplier performance by more than 20%.(supply chain management survey)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Supplier performance measurement programs improve supplier performance by more than 20% according to a recent study by Boston-based Aberdeen Group. The research found that supplier performance management programs in place for more than 18...

Procurement business process outsourcing (BPO) is a bigger market than many business professionals may think.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Procurement business process outsourcing (BPO) is a bigger market than many business professionals may think, according to a new study from IDC Research, because many contracts are not made public. "The procurement BPO market has steadily...

The average procurement department should be nine employees.(survey of supply chain management)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... The average procurement department should be nine employees. So say one-third of companies surveyed in a recent poll by research firm Best Practices. In a recent benchmarking report, Best Practices found that companies in most industries have...

Electronics giant Samsung Electronics has agreed to pay a $300 million fine to settle a three-year old DRAM price-fixing case brought about by U.S. Justice Department.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Electronics giant Samsung Electronics has agreed to pay a $300 million fine to settle a three-year old DRAM price-fixing case brought about by U.S. Justice Department. Guilty pleas have already come in from two other top DRAM manufacturers,...

The Indiana ready-mix concrete industry is being racked by price-fixing suits.(Lee's Ready Mix of North Vernon Ind. fined for price fixing)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... The Indiana ready-mix concrete industry is being racked by price-fixing suits. A federal judge ordered Lee's Ready Mix of North Vernon Ind. to pay a $500,000 fine in October for price-fixing violations. Federal prosecutors had charged the...

What's hot.(Mittal Steel USA's new headquarters in Chicago)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... The more things change, the more they stay the same. From 1957 onward, Inland Steel was based at 30 West Monroe Street (the corners of Monroe and Dearborn Streets)in downtown Chicago. Later, the architecturally important and stainless...

Buyers want more than what is being offered: service centers offer metal processing, on-time deliveries; buyers want market research, customer analysis.
November 3, 2005... Back in 1995, PURCHASING published that "distributors are being called upon to process more and more of the metal that's going right from dock to metalworking machines." The magazine also said that metals distributors were "being pushed to...

Industry officials debate capital spending on capacity.(steel industry get-together)
November 3, 2005... The world's steel-industry executives spent their annual get-together debating whether increased capital spending and expanded steelmaking so far this decade will lead to another glut of steelmaking capacity. Market excess plagued the industry...

Metals service center chain Reliance Steel & Aluminum of Los Angeles has joined with New Wave Technologies and Manufacturing Network work, both of Singapore, to form joint venture Reliance Pan Pacific.(METALS CHIPS)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Metals service center chain Reliance Steel & Aluminum of Los Angeles has joined with New Wave Technologies and Manufacturing Network work, both of Singapore, to form joint venture Reliance Pan Pacific. The new firm will absorb Everest Metals...

Alcoa Bohai Aluminum Industries.(METALS CHIPS)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Alcoa Bohai Aluminum Industries, a new smelter, has been created by China's CITIC Group, the country's biggest state-owned financial group, and Alcoa. Joseph Muscari, executive vice president, says Alcoa aims to start producing ingot in 2008...

Copper and Brass Sales.(METALS CHIPS)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Copper and Brass Sales has opened full-line nonferrous metals service center in Salt Lake City, to serve customers in Utah, southern Idaho, Northern Nevada, Montana and Wyoming. This location also will provide a small order department for...

Praxair Electronics is buying a high-purity aluminum refining and casting operation in Mercus, France, from Alcan.(METALS CHIPS)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Praxair Electronics is buying a high-purity aluminum refining and casting operation in Mercus, France, from Alcan. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2006. High-purity aluminum is used in the production of...

U.S. Antimony.(new plant started)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... U.S. Antimony has successfully started up a new plant to recover antimony metal from a legacy slag stockpile at Thompson Falls, Mont. The plant involves a gravity separation process that is inexpensive and that recovers more than 80% of the...

Steelscape.(METALS CHIPS)(relocation)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Steelscape has ended operations at Richmond, Calif., and began dismantling the galvanizing and paint lines for relocation to Shreveport, La. Meanwhile, Steelscape is adding zinc phosphate capability at its Kalama, Wash., plant.

Macsteel Service Centers USA is expanding its heavy-gauge steel processing capabilities by acquiring the business and assets of Alpha Processing in Chicago. Long Beach, Calif.-based Macsteel earlier acquired Alpha Steel.(METALS CHIPS)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Macsteel Service Centers USA is expanding its heavy-gauge steel processing capabilities by acquiring the business and assets of Alpha Processing in Chicago. Long Beach, Calif.-based Macsteel earlier acquired Alpha Steel, a distributor of hot...

Swiss Steel International.(METALS CHIPS)(Thyssen Krupp Specialty Steels changes name)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Swiss Steel International is the new name of Thyssen Krupp Specialty Steels, the North American distribution operations of tool steel production mill Edelstahl-Witten-Krefeld in Germany, which has been sold to Swiss Steel International.

Timken will close its steel plant in Wooster Township, Ohio, and consolidate operations at the Gambrinus plant in Stark County, Ohio, near Canton.(METALS CHIPS)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Timken will close its steel plant in Wooster Township, Ohio, and consolidate operations at the Gambrinus plant in Stark County, Ohio, near Canton. The Wooster plant has been pared back to finishing and inspection of steel tube that was...

Minnesota Steel Industries.(to construct a steel slab plant)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Minnesota Steel Industries will construct a steel slab plant instead of the previously planned hot-rolled sheet in coil plant. The company made the decision because they believe a slab plant will bring more interest from processors in the Great...

SeverCorr.(SteelCorr's joint venture with Severstal Group)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... SteelCorr now is SeverCorr as Severstal Group of Russia has invested in the joint venture to build and operate a new, state-of-the-art steel mill in Columbus, Miss. The steel mill, which is due to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2007,...

Earle M. Jorgensen Co.(ground breaking for new metal processing and distribution facility)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Metals service center operator Earle M. Jorgensen Co. of Lynwood, Calif., has broken ground for a new 20,000 sq ft metal processing and distribution facility in Quebec City, Quebec, scheduled to open in January.

Erdemir.(acquisition by Oyak Bank)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Turkey sold 46% and control of its giant state-owned steel maker, Erdemir, to Oyak, a pension fund for Turkish army officers, for $2.8 billion. Two European steel companies that bid, Mittal and Arcelo, said the price was too high.

Buyers have found alternatives to Asarco.(COPPER ROD)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Buyers haven't missed a beat in sourcing copper rod from 'smaller domestic producers and merchants representing foreign mills since the strike that has curtailed copper cathode and rod production since July at Asarco, the Grupo Mexico...

Inco and Falconbridge head for the altar.(NICKEL)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Inco elbowed Swiss rival Xstrata out of the race for Falconbridge with a $10.2 billion friendly bid that would create the world's biggest nickel miner. Scott M. Hand, Inco's chief executive will be chief executive of the new firm and says, "The...

Novelis expands British recycling.(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Novelis is investing $2.5 million at its Warrington aluminum beverage cans recycling plant in the United Kingdom. The investment enables the plant to raise capacity to recycle beverage cans by 25%. In the first nine months of 2005, the...

Is the growth run coming to an end? Purchasing improved this year but there's no certainty that demand expansion will continue in 2006.(aluminum extrusions)
November 3, 2005... Purchasing of extruded aluminum products through August was 7% ahead of the year-ago pace, but durable goods manufacturing activity slowed in late summer and early autumn and that lowered extrusion-buying activity. Purchasing managers don't...

Aluminum may see only modest boost from hurricane rebuilding.(HURRICANE AFTERMATH)(Brief Article)
November 3, 2005... Though aluminum demand is likely to increase somewhat over the next three years in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the rate of growth will pale against the demand surge seen for lumber, copper and, possibly, steel. In a new...

Signals mixed; future uncertain.(metals)
November 3, 2005... The oil shock from the Katrina and Rita hurricanes is blowing itself out, but has set back the U.S. economy in the third quarter, says the International Energy Agency. In its October monthly report, the agency estimates U.S. economic growth...