United States Steel Corp. announced a joint-venture partnership agreement under which it has taken the first step toward acquiring Big River Steel through the purchase of a 49.9% ownership interest for approximately $700 million in cash, with a call option to acquire the remaining 50.1% within the next four years. U.S. Steel has committed financing to execute the transaction. Big River Steel operates an LEED-certified, Flex Mill in northeast Arkansas that is, according to the company, the most advanced EAF-based flat-rolled mill in North America. Big River Steel produces advanced automotive steels and electrical steels and provides services to customers in the automotive, energy, construction and agricultural industries. The company’s recently announced Phase II-A expansion is expected to double the mill’s hot-rolled steel production capacity to 3.3 million tons annually.

HarbisonWalker International (HWI), a supplier of refractory products and services, completed the first phase of a $9 million expansion at its manufacturing operations in White Cloud, Mich. The project will significantly increase warehousing space and add advanced-manufacturing and hydraulic press technologies. HWI’s 110,000-square-foot White Cloud facility currently employs approximately 140 people and produces brick and monolithic refractories utilized by the steel industry.

Steel Dynamics Inc. awarded SMS group an order covering the supply of a complete steel production line for its new mill in Sinton, Texas. Germany’s SMS group will supply two direct-current electric-arc furnaces (DC-EAF) having a capacity of 190 tons each, two twin-ladle furnaces and a double vacuum tank degasser. The line, which is scheduled to be commissioned in mid-2021, will enable SDI to produce thin slabs with thicknesses of up to 5.2 inches (130 mm) and slab widths of up to 84 inches (2,134 mm). SMS group will also supply electrical and automation systems as well as technical support during installation and commissioning, which is scheduled for mid-2021.

In 1956, there was a workshop at Dartmouth College attended by scientists from industry and academia.

In this case study, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is working in partnership with Purdue University Northwest and steel-industry stakeholders to use their high-performance computing (HPC) modeling, simulation and visualization capabilities to optimize blast furnaces in order to reduce emissions and energy use.

Tata Steel and thyssenkrupp signed a memorandum of understanding to combine their European steel activities in a 50/50 joint venture.

Nucor Corp. agreed to acquire St. Louis Cold Drawn Inc., a manufacturer of cold-drawn rounds, hexagons, squares and special sections that mainly serves the U.S. and Mexican automotive and industrial markets.

Acting on promises made during the 2016 presidential campaign, President Trump announced in April two far-reaching trade investigations on the potential national-security impacts of imported steel and aluminum.

Schmolz + Bickenbach of Germany, a global producer of special long steel, and Tsingshan Group have formed a joint venture in China to serve the long stainless steel market in Asia.