Stephanie Ritenbaugh

Pittsburgh

Scrap Reporter at CRU

Business reporter for @TribLIVE | Formerly @PittsburghPG, @Platts, and other places. Be excellent to each other.

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Articles

SSAB delays Swedish mill startup by one year due to grid challenges

1 week ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

The project’s price tag remains at 4.5 billion euros (USD$5.17 billion), SSAB said. The plan is to decommission the blast furnace-based production system with a mini-mill with electric-arc furnaces. The mini-mill is expected to run on fossil-free electricity and be supplied with a mix of fossil-free sponge iron produced with the HYBRIT technology (hydrogen reduction of iron ore) and recycled scrap as the raw material.
North Star BlueScope plans upgrades to Ohio plant

1 week ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

North Star BlueScope Steel has selected Italian mill equipment provider Danieli to upgrade equipment at its Quality Strip Production (QSP) facility in Delta, Ohio. Danieli will modernize the original run-out table laminar cooling system. Additionally, a new down coiler is planned to be installed downstream of the two original coilers supplied in 1995, the company said.
Mexico shuts down steel importer amid trade talks

1 week ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

Mexico’s Ministry of Economy and Finance suspended export programs for LAU Industries of Mexico, a US-based steel importer, after alleging the manufacturer took advantage of a government program to promote trade. The government shut down two plants and warehouses operated by US-based LAU Industries, formerly Ruskin of Mexico SAPI, according to an announcement by the ministry.
Manufacturing in New York state contracts slips again

1 week ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

“Business activity continued to contract in New York state in June. However, employment grew slightly for the first time in several months,” said Richard Deitz, economic research adviser at the New York Fed. “Firms also turned positive about the outlook for future business conditions, expecting activity to increase in the months ahead.”Manufacturing activity fell for a fourth month in a row, the survey found.
Nucor's hikes list price for HRC by $10/ton

1 week ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

Nucor raised its published weekly spot price for hot-rolled (HR) coil by $10 per short ton (st) on Monday. The $10/st increase applies to all of the steelmaker’s sheet mills, including its West Coast joint-venture, California Steel Industries (CSI). This puts Nucor’s consumer spot price (CSP) for HR coil at $900/st this week and CSI’s at $960/st. Nucor had lowered the CSP throughout May, closing the month at $870/st. It started stepping up the price last week, increasing it June 9 by $20/st.
Final Thoughts

1 week ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

Heck, our humble, hometown amusement park, Kennywood, has views of Edgar Thomson from the roller coasters. It’s a town where if your family has been here for more than a generation, you have at least one relative who has worked at a plant or had a job because of a plant. But the Steel 101 training in Memphis June 10-11 was the first time I was able to see an electric-arc furnace in person. Sure, I had seen photos and videos, but that’s nothing compared to seeing the process up close in real life.
SMU Steel Summit 2025: Keeping you a step ahead

3 weeks ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

So far, nearly 800 steel industry professionals have signed up, and we’re on pace to exceed last year’s record attendance of over 1,500! That means a lot of ideas to share, tons of networking, and plenty of new people to meet. So, bring your business cards. And nearly 400 companies have registered to attend. You can check out that list here. The 2025 SMU Steel Summit runs Monday, Aug. 25, through Wednesday, Aug. 27, at the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC) in Atlanta.
CMC, Gerdau raise rebar prices by $60-100/ton

3 weeks ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

Irving, Texas-based CMC said it would raise rebar prices from its East Division mills in South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and New Jersey by $60/ton. Twenty-foot lengths will see an increase of an additional $40/ton. The company added that orders that had been placed by the close of business on Thursday, June 5, would be kept at pre-increase levels if shipped by June 19. Gerdau Long Steel North America, meanwhile, said it would raise US rebar prices by $60/ton.
New vehicle sales fall in May

3 weeks ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

New light-vehicle sales slumped in May to 15.6 million units as the buying rush from consumers signing ahead of tariff increases faded. The seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of sales last month was down notably from March and April, when the sales pace accelerated to well above 17 million, the highest levels since 2021, according to Cox Automotive Inc.
Beige Book finds growing economic, policy uncertainty

3 weeks ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Stephanie Ritenbaugh

All districts reported “hesitancy and a cautious approach to business and household decisions,” according to the Beige Book, which is a summary of current economic conditions across the Fed’s 12 districts. Manufacturing activity declined slightly. Consumer spending reports were mixed, with most districts reporting slight declines or no change. However, some districts reported increases in spending on items expected to be affected by tariffs.