Metal Watch

U.S. STEEL EXPORTS STAY STRONG

Exports of steel mill products by United States mills remained strong through July of this year, up 54.4 percent at 3,383,412 net tons, compared with 2,190,853 net tons exported during the first seven months of 1994.

Conversely, imports of steel mill products were down 2.9 percent for the first seven months of 1995, at 16,069,847 net tons, compared with 16,550,000 net tons for the same period last year. The European Union continues to import the most steel mill products to the U.S., followed by Canada, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Russia.

NORTH STAR STEEL TO IMPROVE SHREDDING

North Star Steel Co., St. Paul, Minn., has announced that it is investing more than $1 million to improve ferrous scrap shredding capabilities and reduce visible air emissions at its auto and appliance shredder adjacent to its steel-recycling minimill.

“This project will improve our ability to recycle the nonferrous components of the 225,000 to 250,000 automobiles, plus appliances and prompt industrial scrap that we shred and recycle annually,” says Harold Olden, general manager of North Star’s St. Paul mill. The shredder improvements will also enable more precise separation of nonferrous metallic scrap from nonmetallic fluff, according to Olden.

“Simultaneously, the air emissions control system we are installing is the best available proven technology and will meet the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s requirements,” says Olden.

North Star’s St. Paul mill has a capacity of 650,000 tons of steel a year.

CALBAG METALS MAKES THE GRADE

Calbag Metals Co., Portland, Ore., has been named one of “100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon” by Oregon Business magazine. Calbag ranked 29th among 100 organizations that excel in the areas of pay and benefits, employee involvement, community involvement, advancement and training and work place culture.

“The credit for this recognition rests primarily with our employees,” says Warren Rosenfeld, Calbag president and owner. “They come to work every day at Calbag thinking they’re the best in the industry, so they take the personal initiative to make it the best place to work. We simply try to make sure unlimited effort is rewarded with unlimited opportunity.”

Calbag is one of the largest processors and traders of nonferrous scrap metal in the western United States.

BARMET HELPS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Several employees of Barmet, Akron, Ohio, the Mill Products Division of CasTech Aluminum Group Inc., Long Beach, Calif., recently volunteered to help the Akron Chapter of Habitat for Humanity assist a local family in the construction of their new home. Barmet supported the efforts by donating $10,000 to cover the cost of the aluminum used for all of Habitat’s homes in the Akron area for this year. The company has pledged to continue its donations next year and in future years.

“We believe that corporate citizens have a responsibility to their communities as well as to their shareholders,” says Norman Wells Jr., president and CEO of both Barmet and CasTech. “Since a large portion of the continuous cast aluminum sheet that Barmet produces from recycled aluminum goes into construction applications, Habitat for Humanity provides a direct and meaningful way for the company to return something to the community.”

DENVER STEEL RECYCLERS COMPETE FOR PRIZES

Denver residents participated in a steel can recycling promotion last month sponsored by a local supermarket chain, the Steel Recycling Institute, Pittsburgh, a local radio station, Jeep Eagle and several well known canned food brands. Called “The Super Recycling Sweepstakes,” the program consisted of a four-week radio series of high-interest steel recycling tips aimed at educating consumers about steel recycling and providing details on contest entry, followed by a drawing for a 1995 Jeep Wrangler and several other prizes.