Category: Latest Updates

En el siguiente enlace pueden acceder a la edición de Octubre de nuestra revista Infoacero:  INFOACERO OCTUBRE

A continuación destacamos algunos de sus contenidos:

1. Opinión – D. José Horcajo – Presidente Zona Centro-Miembro Junta Directiva de  la UAHE. 
2. Evolución del Índice de Precios de Productos Siderúrgicos – UAHE.
3. Formación UAHE: Sistemas de Gestión de Almacenes ( 22 y 23 de Octubre, 5 y 6 Noviembre), Normativa Transporte de Cargas por Carretera (Bilbao, 11 Octubre) y Seminario Gestión de Riesgos Comerciales en nuestro sector (Madrid, 14 Noviembre)
4. Próximos Eventos:  Reunión Líneas de Corte Sur de Europa (20 y 21 Noviembre, Milán) Eurometal y Basque Industry 4.0 (20 y 21 Noviembre, Bilbao)
5. Resumen XV Fórum de Distribución de Productos Siderúrgicos –Unió de Magatzemistes de Ferros de Catalunya i Balears.
6. Colaboración ASCEM:  Ventajas de Ejecutar un obra en Acero.

Liberty Steel has announced that it will merge all its operations in the steel sector globally into one company named Liberty Steel by the end of this year. The combined entity will have 18 million tonnes/year capacity for rolled steel and a presence in 10 different countries including the UK, the US, Australia and Europe.

Despite being family-owned, Liberty Steel will start operating as a listed company from next year, increasing therefore transparency on its operations, Sanjeev Gupta, ceo of the GFG Alliance said in Milan this week. The company had already foreshadowed the move earlier this month (see Kallanish 11 October).

The group will also begin to implement a strategy to make its operations carbon-neutral by 2030. The strategy will focus on changing its integrated steelmaking into EAF-based as much as possible and using renewable energy as a source of power. Gupta notes that the complete achievement of the 2030 goal is expected to be made possible through the use of hydrogen in steelmaking, a technology he believes is on the verge of becoming available.

With its latest acquisitions in Europe, Liberty Steel has become the fourth-largest steel manufacturer in Europe. Gupta explains that the focus for the newly acquired units in Europe is to become efficient rather than to increase volumes. He confirms also that the group is also playing its part in the current need to reduce iron and steel output in Europe due to the ongoing overcapacity crisis. This is happening at the integrated plant in Ostrava in the Czech Republic.

“I agree European steelmakers acted too late, but we have moved to reduce output as quickly as possible in Ostrava,” Gupta comments. “I can only hope the market will improve in Europe from next year, but we will keep the situation under review.”

Mit „easy entry“ haben die Werkstoffspezialisten des thyssenkrupp Konzerns eine innovative Software entwickelt, die Kunden das einfache und schnelle Erfassen ihrer Wareneingänge ermöglicht. Seit kurzem ist die Lösung für Kunden der Tochterunternehmen thyssenkrupp Schulte sowie thyssenkrupp Materials Processing Europe im Einsatz.  

Die Funktionsweise ist einfach: Durch Scannen eines QR- oder Barcodes auf den Lieferpapieren sowie Warenetiketten lassen sich die produktspezifischen Angaben der Ware, wie beispielsweise Materialnummer und Liefermenge, direkt in das jeweilige IT-System des Kunden übertragen. Die Vorteile: Der Vorgang, der vorher bis zu mehrere Minuten dauern konnte, wird nun in wenigen Sekunden abgeschlossen. Darüber hinaus sinkt das Potenzial von manuellen Übertragungsfehlern signifikant. Zudem haben Kunden die Möglichkeit, die Warenetiketten von thyssenkrupp für die Beschriftung des Materials in den eigenen Abläufen zu nutzen – inklusive individueller Zusatzinformationen wie Lagerplatz oder der Weiterverarbeitung.  

Hauseigene Entwicklung Bei der Software handelt es sich um eine hauseigene Lösung des Digital Transformation Office in enger Zusammenarbeit mit den Geschäftseinheiten und der konzerneigenen Anwendungsentwicklung. Die Herausforderung lag besonders in der Entwicklung eines Systems, das ausreichend Flexibilität ermöglicht. „Branchenweit sind keine Standards und Normen für die Gestaltung einheitlicher Lieferpapiere und Warenetiketten festgelegt. Gleichzeitig nehmen kundenindividuelle Lösungen zu“, berichtet Philipp Kersebohm, Head of Operative Digitalization bei thyssenkrupp Materials Services. Die Software bietet nun die Möglichkeit, schnell kundenindividuelle QR- und Barcodes zu erstellen.  

Entstanden ist die Lösung auf Basis einer genauen Anforderungsanalyse. „Wir haben gemeinsam mit unserem Pilotkunden seine individuellen Wareneingangs- und Buchungsprozesse erfasst. Durch das gewonnene Verständnis konnten wir diese Anforderungen in eine maßgeschneiderte Lösung für unseren Kunden umsetzen“, so Kersebohm. Automotive-Kunden können easy entry zudem in EDIgestützte Lieferplanszenarien integrieren.  

thyssenkrupp Materials Services ist vom 5. bis 8. November 2019 auf der Blechexpo in Stuttgart und stellt dort in Halle 10, Stand 10407 seine neuen digitalen Services vor.  

Quelle und Foto: thyssenkrupp Materials Services GmbH

Regionalisation in the global steel market is continuing to accelerate, creating many problems for players and for the industry. This is according to a number of speakers at this week’s World Steel Dynamics conference in Milan attended by Kallanish.

Michel Van Hoey from McKinsey & Company calculates that in 2018 only 22% of the global steel demand was supplied by traded steel products. This share was almost half of the 40% calculated in 2000. The fall in this share has accelerated during recent years and has been fuelled mainly by a reduction in net exports from China.

“It seems like we have gone back to the old days of regional steel markets. The problem is the old days were not good days,” Ugur Dalbeler, ceo of Turkish Colakoglu says with regard to the reduction of global trade in the steel sector.

Besides the reduction of net exports from China, the fall in global trade has also been fuelled by another two major factors. The imposition of Section 232 in the US. followed by a number of measures applied by major markets in response has radically affected steel trade.

Van Hoey refers to the existing trade barriers in the US and the EU. He notes that while a positive effect of section 232 measures on the US market can be seen, the same cannot be said for Europe.

In the US the section 232 measures were designed to boost domestic industry and they succeeded in taking back capacity utilisation levels domestically to 80% and increasing profitability for steelmakers. Nevertheless, the medium-to-longer term effects are still unclear, mainly because new capacities being built in the US will change the market significantly.

In Europe, conversely, the safeguard measures imposed in response to section 232 did not have a positive effect on the market as EU steelmakers are now registering record low profitability levels, Van Hoey concludes.

Liberty Steel has announced that it will merge all its operations in the steel sector globally into one company named Liberty Steel by the end of this year. The combined entity will have 18 million tonnes/year capacity for rolled steel and a presence in 10 different countries including the UK, the US, Australia and Europe.

Despite being family-owned, Liberty Steel will start operating as a listed company from next year, increasing therefore transparency on its operations, Sanjeev Gupta, ceo of the GFG Alliance said in Milan this week. The company had already foreshadowed the move earlier this month (see Kallanish 11 October).

The group will also begin to implement a strategy to make its operations carbon-neutral by 2030. The strategy will focus on changing its integrated steelmaking into EAF-based as much as possible and using renewable energy as a source of power. Gupta notes that the complete achievement of the 2030 goal is expected to be made possible through the use of hydrogen in steelmaking, a technology he believes is on the verge of becoming available.

With its latest acquisitions in Europe, Liberty Steel has become the fourth-largest steel manufacturer in Europe. Gupta explains that the focus for the newly acquired units in Europe is to become efficient rather than to increase volumes. He confirms also that the group is also playing its part in the current need to reduce iron and steel output in Europe due to the ongoing overcapacity crisis. This is happening at the integrated plant in Ostrava in the Czech Republic.

“I agree European steelmakers acted too late, but we have moved to reduce output as quickly as possible in Ostrava,” Gupta comments. “I can only hope the market will improve in Europe from next year, but we will keep the situation under review.”

Fachkräfte sind ein rares Gut und bestimmen heute den Erfolg unserer Branche. Gelingt es uns die Fachkräfte im eigenen Betrieb auszubilden, in ihre Weiterbildung zu investieren und sie im Anschluss zu halten, bilden Sie das Fundament, auf dem sich zukünftiger Erfolg aufbauen lässt. Zudem sind die selbstausgebildeten Fachkräfte häufig loyaler und die Qualität des Mitarbeiters ist mir im Gegensatz zu einer externen Fachkraft bekannt. Mit unseren Veranstaltungen und Seminaren möchte wir Ihnen und Ihren Mitarbeitern spannende Möglichkeiten bieten, auch im Arbeitsalltag einmal über den Tellerrand zu blicken. Ich freue mich auf Ihren Besuch. Ihr Kaspar Engeli Direktor Handel Schweiz­­­­­­

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­­­­Veranstaltungskalender Herbst 2019 ­

­­­­­­­­­­11.11.2019: Intensivkurs Exportabwicklung und -technik Olten 14.11.2019: #SALES GOES DIGITAL. NOW Wizemann Space 14.11.2019: SIPPO Import Promotion Forum 2019 Basel Unser gesamtes Veranstaltungsprogramm­­­­

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­­­­SIPPO Import Promotion Forum: Beschaffung 4.0­

­­­­­­­­­­Am 3. SIPPO Forum vom 14.11.2019 diskutieren u.a. Dieter Meier (Yello, Ojo de Agua), Karin Frick (GDI), Monica Rubiolo (SECO), Jürg Birkenmeier (Coop) mögliche Auswirkungen technologischer und sozio-politischer Veränderungen auf Exportmärkte in Schwellen- und Entwicklungsländern sowie die Zukunft des globalen Handels. Zu Programm und Anmeldung hier.  ­­­­

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­­­­Neue Zusammenarbeit mit Swiss Export­

­­­­­­­­­­Mitglieder von Handel Schweiz profitieren dank der neuen Zusammenarbeit von den Mitgliederkonditionen auf das Kursprogramm von Swiss Export. Handel Schweiz ist überzeugt, Ihnen mit den Aussenhandelsseminaren eine spannende und wichtige Erweiterung des Veranstaltungsprogamms bieten zu können. —————————————————————————­­­­

­­­­­­­­­­Refresher für Führungskräfte: Grenzüberschreitende Mehrwertsteuer, Warenursprung, Zollvorschriften, Incoterms® 2020 Am 1. Januar 2020 treten die neuen Incoterms® 2020 in Kraft. Diese sollen einerseits die gängige Praxis widerspiegeln und gleichzeitig die Verständlichkeit der Klauseln erhöhen. In Ihrer Rolle als Führungskraft sind Sie besonders gefordert den Inhalt und die Zusammenhänge zu kennen. Das Kurzseminar findet zu verschiedenen Terminen statt. Weitere Informationen und Anmeldung ————————————————————————— Intensivkurs Exportabwicklung und -technik Dieser viertägige Intensivkurs vermittelt praxisgerecht das für eine effiziente Versandabwicklung notwendige Fachwissen. Das erarbeitete fundierte Grundwissen in den Bereichen Exportabwicklung und -technik soll in der täglichen Praxis unmittelbar umgesetzt werden können. Weitere Informationen und Anmeldung­­­­

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­­­­Flotten-Highlight: aboutFLEET Event am 13.11.19­

­­­­­­­­­­Der grösste Event der CH-Flottenbranche geht dieses Jahr am Mittwoch, 13. 11. in der Umwelt Arena Spreitenbach über die Bühne. Spannende Persönlichkeiten, die neusten Fahrzeuge und vieles mehr erwartet die Teilnehmer. Dabei sein lohnt sich! Kontakt: +41 43 499 18 60, events@awverlag.ch.­­­­

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­­­­Sales goes digital. now­

­­­­­­­­­­Erhöhen Sie Ihre digitale Kompetenz und heben Sie Ihre Marketing- und Vertriebsprozesse auf eine neue Ebene, indem Sie eine eigene Roadmap für datengetriebene Marketing- und Vertriebsprozesse entwickeln. In unserem zweitägigen Workshop lernen Sie neueste Methoden, Systeme und Tools kennen. Sie und Ihre Mitarbeiter gewinnen Zeit für wichtige Aufgaben, erhöhen den Umsatz über digitale Vertriebswege und lernen, Marketing- und Vertriebsprozesse auf digitalem Weg effizient zu vernetzen. Mitglieder erhalten eine Vergünstigung Weitere Informationen­­­­

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­­­­­­­­Impressum: Handel Schweiz Güterstrasse 78 Postfach CH-4010 Basel Tel. +41 61 228 90 30 Fax +41 61 228 90 39 info@handel-schweiz.com www.handel-schweiz.com

The name of China’s Jingye Iron and Steel has recently arisen in market chatter circulating around the sale of UK long products specialist British Steel to Turkey’s Ataer Holdings. Whist not a traditional ‘stalking horse’, the Chinese steelmaker has been widely referenced as a possible buyer.

Although any move by Jingye to become involved in the acquisition have so far remained unofficial, a source from the Chinese steelmaker tells Kallanish that the company had definitely visited British Steel “… to investigate.” There was however no indication of when such a visit had taken place orwhat the results of this were. A very reliable media source in China has also confirms to Kallanish that Jingye had expressed a current interest in the plant.

“My feeling is that it is a bit of a long shot for Jingye,” one knowledgeable source in China says.

The Hebei province-based steelmaker has been investing heavily over the past two years. Some of its latest projects include the installation of a new blast furnace and converters, an increase in its electrical steel capacity, and adding a new spiral welded pipe line.

It has also been spreading its export wings as far as Africa and is involved in a steelmaking project in Laos.

Domestically, and of more relevance, Jingye Group and China Railway Materials Trading Group reached a cooperation agreement to become one of the four suppliers to China Railway projects in Xiong’an New District in 2018.

The European coil market is close to bottoming, Antonio Marcegaglia, chief executive of Italy’s Marcegaglia, said at the World Steel Dynamics European Steel Conference in Milan today.

Current production cuts of around 6mn t/yr are likely to have an effect on the market, alongside the definitive steel safeguard that will tighten availability of certain products, he said.

The European Central Bank is likely to provide money for fiscal stimulus through the raising of a eurobond, and it is up to national governments to use the money effectively, Marcegaglia said. Apparent consumption — which has been lower than actual demand for around four months — has scope to catch up, which alongside output cuts should support the market.

“I do not believe we have in front of us an easy time, but probably see more dark today than [there is] in reality,” Marcegaglia said.

Marcegaglia sees a place for hedging in the European coil sector, especially if there is a transparent and efficient market where the costs are right. The company is doing some trial hedging and sees a future for the market, he told Argus.

Marcegaglia made 5.3mn t/yr of finished steel last year, from purchases of 5.8mn t/yr. The company’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation margin will definitely be down from 8pc last year, he said, but added that its results will be more resilient than those of mill suppliers.

A rebound in the European steel market is expected in the first quarter of 2020, market participants told Argus at the sidelines of the World Steel Dynamics conference in Milan today.

Market participants had previously anticipated a market recovery in the third and fourth quarters of 2019. But continuously sluggish demand, destocking, an influx of lower-priced imports and poor performance of EU economies, particularly Germany, have seen prices deteriorate further over the past few months.

Still, the outlook for a tightening of supply in the EU flat products market, owing to production cuts, should see demand balance out and prices lift. Many market participants said they believe that the largest EU producers are undertaking output reductions, but are waiting to announce these cuts in their upcoming third-quarter financial results.

In addition, reduced shipments of Turkish hot-rolled coils are expected to make their way into the EU in the first quarter, compared with previous years, as a result of the 30pc import safeguard quotas cap.

Market participants are concerned that in the case of a slight improvement of the market in the first quarter, steelmakers will try to capitalise and restart any idled capacities as soon as possible, which would jeopardise the longer-term recovery of the EU market.

But not all market participants are as bullish because indications of a pick-up in first-quarter demand, typically exhibited in the final months of the year, are still absent. Import prices also appear not to have reached their bottom yet.

German cold-roller Bilstein is currently starting to operate its new wide quarto reversing cold rolling mill at its headquarters in Hagen-Hohenlimburg, Kallanish learns from the company.

Cold rolled steel will now be available in widths that greatly exceed the current global standard of 650mm, the company claims. Drawing on experience with wide rolling at its US facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the new production site will complete an international global network for the group, it says.

As at its facility in the USA, the new systems are designed for processing broad band up to 1,350mm for use across a wide variety of applications. These include applications in the automotive sector and for the processing industry.

Along with the commissioning of a new advanced slitting line, the facility “… will provide a massive technological boost for the entire group across all production processes – including internal logistics and annealing, which have been highly automated thanks to investments made in recent years,” says ceo Marc T. Oehler.

According to local media reports, the company has spent a mid-double digit million-euro amount on the modernisation.