DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Service centers - facilities that play a crucial role in supplying manufacturing companies nearly finished steel products - had paused purchases ahead of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union's coordinated strike against the Detroit automakers. However, many of them were soon forced to place large orders as stocks ran low and operations resumed at the carmakers. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsThe automotive segment makes up about 25% of the total U.S. sheet demand, with about 65% of that attributable to the Big Three Detroit automakers in any given year, CRU data showed. Nucor Corp (NUE.N) has raised HRC prices to $950/st while U.S. Steel (X.N) recently announced a $100/st price increase, without specifying a final rate. Meanwhile, automakers stare at higher costs for a key raw material if prices extend their upward trajectory for longer.

Persons: union's, Ryan McKinley, Morgan, Philip Gibbs, Gordon Lee Johnson, Ananta Agarwal, Nathan Gomes, Arpan Varghese, Sriraj Organizations: Detroit Three, CRU Group . Service, United Auto Workers, UAW, Detroit, CRU, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Big Three Detroit, Cleveland Cliffs, HRC, Nucor Corp, U.S . Steel, KeyBanc, GLJ Research, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Global EV battery supply chain puzzles over China graphite curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Graphite powder, used for battery paste, is pictured in a Volkswagen pilot line for battery cell production in Salzgitter, Germany, May 18, 2022. China dominates the global EV battery supply chain including production of graphite - the single largest component. Graphite companies in the country process both the natural material mined domestically and overseas, as well as synthetic forms. Under the new rules, China will require export permits starting Dec. 1 for high-end synthetic graphite, as well as key forms of natural graphite. NATURAL GRAPHITE HITGlobal companies using natural graphite include Hitachi Chemical, part of Japan's Resonac Holdings Corp (4004.T), South Korea's POSCO Future M (003670.KS) and Japan's Mitsubishi Chemical, which produces natural graphite at two plants in China, according to research firm CRU Group.

Persons: Fabian Bimmer, Sunit Kapur, Zhang Yan, Siyi Liu, Brenda Goh, Satoshi Sugiyama, Heekyong Yang, Seoul ， Paul Lienert, Jing Xu, Dominique Patton, Tony Munroe, David Evans Organizations: Volkswagen, REUTERS, Rights, EV, Qingdao, Reuters, China's Ministry of Commerce, Gotion High Tech, BTR, Material Technology, Hitachi Chemical, Japan's Resonac Holdings Corp, Mitsubishi Chemical, CRU Group, Mitsubishi, Resources, Materials, Thomson Locations: Salzgitter, Germany, Beijing, China, Japan, South Korea, United States, U.S, Shanghai, Ningbo Shanshan, Indonesia, Finland, Japan's, Australia, Mozambique, U.S ., Louisiana, North Carolina, Toyko, Seoul ，, Detroit

This is because blast furnaces operate around the clock and need more workers. Goncalves is also betting that producing iron ore in-house for blast furnaces, rather than sourcing scrap steel for electric arc furnaces, will give Cliffs a competitive edge. While a few carmakers use aluminum for automotive bodies, most prefer high-grade steel from blast furnaces. Cliffs' devotion to blast furnaces, which are unionized unlike some electric arc furnaces, won it the support of United Steelworkers. The union's international president Thomas Conway said it's backing Cliffs' bid for U.S. Steel because of Goncalves' commitment to blast furnaces.

Persons: Lawrence Bryant, Lourenco Goncalves, Goncalves, Josh Spoores, Donald Trump, Phil Gibbs, Thomas Conway, Joe Biden's, Isla Binnie, Bianca Flowers, Greg Roumeliotis, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S . Steel, U.S . Steel Granite City, REUTERS, Cliffs Inc, U.S, U.S . Steel Corp, AK Steel, CRU Group, Steel Dynamics, Steel, Reuters, United Steelworkers, Thomson Locations: U.S . Steel Granite, Granite City , Illinois, U.S, CHICAGO, United States, Cleveland, North America, Asia, Toledo , Ohio, New York, Chicago

☆ 'We are ready to engage': Europe's biggest carmakers brace for China's EV challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse speaks during the presentation of the new BMW "New Class" during an event ahead of the IAA motor show in Munich. Europe's dominant position in the automotive sector was established over many decades through its capacity to build superior combustion engines. The German behemoth has already created automotive software company CARIAD, as well as partnering with Chinese EV startup Xpeng, joint venture partner SAIC and autonomous driving company Horizon Robotics. watch nowHe added that Volkswagen has established "huge cost initiatives" and sees big opportunities to scale up its EV production while reducing battery production costs by 50%. Our electricity costs compared to China or North America are too high," Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer told CNBC on Monday.

Persons: Oliver Zipse, Christophe Périllat, Luca De Meo, Ampere, De Meo, CNBC's Annette Weisbach, Oliver Blume, " Blume, Blume, Klaus Zellmer, Joe Biden's, BEV, Zellmer Organizations: BMW, IAA, Getty, CNBC, Volkswagen, Renault, IAA Mobility, SAIC, Horizon Robotics, Volkswagen Group, CRU Group, Skoda Locations: Munich, China, Europe, North America, U.S, Canada, Spain, Germany

☆ US Senator Vance asks US Steel to rule out foreign buyer
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Bianca Flowers | Thomson Reuters | Bianca Flowers Is An Award-Winning Multimedia Journalist Based In Chicago Where She Reports On The Backbone Of The U.S. Labor Market. She Covers Agriculture | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Steel workers at U.S. Steel Granite City Works in Granite City, Illinois, U.S., May 24, 2018. Vance on Thursday asked U.S. Steel (CLF.N) to rule out a foreign buyer, in a sign that the emerging bidding war for the iconic steel producer could run into political headwinds. Vance, a Republican, said potential U.S. buyers for the Pittsburgh-based company should have priority because domestic steel production is an important aspect of national security. "It appears to be political grandstanding from somebody out making a name for themselves more than any national security interest, said Spoores, principal analyst at CRU Group. Vance was elected to the Senate in 2022 after winning the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, a Republican who also pushed for greater domestic steel production.

Persons: Lawrence Bryant, J.D, Vance, David Burritt, David Sutherland, Josh Spoores, Spoores, Donald Trump, Bianca Flowers, Andy Sullivan Organizations: Steel, U.S . Steel, U.S . Steel Granite City, REUTERS, Thursday, Republican, . Steel, Reuters, Industry, CRU Group, The United Steelworkers Union, Senate, Thomson Locations: U.S . Steel Granite, Granite City , Illinois, U.S, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Luxembourg, Ohio, Chicago

But the lure for OCI and others of making ammonia with a smaller carbon footprint is a business with potential beyond the farm. is the question, and I think it's a good question," OCI CEO Ahmed El-Hoshy told Reuters, when asked why his company is betting on producing so-called "blue ammonia." But even with U.S. support, blue ammonia economics hinge on further government incentives. If utility premiums don't emerge, OCI plans to use its Texas blue ammonia to make fertilizer in The Netherlands, where the company has under-utilized its plants due to high natural gas prices. OCI's Texas plant, to start production in 2025, will produce 1.1 million metric tons annually.

Persons: Ahmed El, Hoshy, Alexander Derricott, TD Cowen, JERA, Yara, Stephan Werner, Werner, Katrine Petersen, Petersen, Chris Bohn, Oystein Kalleklev, Harald Fotland, Fotland, Rod Nickel, Yuka Obayashi, Anna Driver Organizations: Reuters, OCI, REUTERS, Group, CF Industries, Gulf, CF, Yara, Mitsui, Mitsubishi, Nutrien, Investors, Germany's DWS, International Maritime Organization, Flex LNG, Avance, Victoria Klesty, Thomson Locations: Beaumont , Texas, U.S, Texas, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, United States, El, OCI's Texas, Gulf Coast, Winnipeg , Manitoba, Oslo, Tokyo, Bengaluru

The strong ramp-up in sales for EVs, led by growth in China, means copper demand will continue to grow for the remainder of the decade, but innovation in EVs has emerged as a limiting factor, according to two recent forecasts. In a report this week, Goldman Sachs said EVs accounted for two-thirds of the global demand growth in copper last year. "Some of the projections out there have been very aggressive in terms of potential green energy demand (for copper)." Goldman Sachs called innovation in batteries and the potential shift to higher voltage systems like Tesla's "the main threat to copper's EV demand leverage." It expects copper demand for EVs to be 1 million metric tons this year and 2.8 million by 2030.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Robert Edwards, Tesla, Elon Musk, CRU's Edwards, Mai Nguyen, Kevin Krolicki, Emelia Sithole Organizations: EVs, CRU Group, London Metal Exchange, Thomson Locations: HANOI, China, EVs, Hanoi, Singapore

☆ Can the World Make an Electric Car Battery Without China?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Agnes Chang | Keith Bradsher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

China controls 6% of the world’s nickel 78% of graphite 5% of manganese China controls 6% of the world’s nickel 78% of graphite 5% of manganese Source: CRU Group, U.S.G.S. China makes 73% of NMC cathodes 99% of LFP cathodes China makes 73% of NMC cathodes 99% of LFP cathodes Source: CRU Group Note: Data for “NMC cathodes” category includes NMC, NCA, NMCA; “LFP cathodes” includes LFP, LMFP. China makes 66% of the world’s battery cells 2.8” Cathode Each car has thousands of cells. China makes 54% of the world’s electric cars China makes 54% of the world’s electric cars Source: IEA Note: Data for 2021American investors remain wary about putting money into electric vehicles. Electric car buyers in China get tax rebates, cheaper vehicle registration, preferential parking and access to an extensive charging network.

☆ Another OPEC? Indonesia wants to create a cartel for battery metals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The nickel market is also structured very differently than the market for crude oil, with private firms rather than national companies running the show. The country now accounts for more than 38% of global refined nickel supply, according to data from market intelligence firm CRU Group. People who track the nickel market are skeptical such an arrangement is workable. But other countries that have direct access to battery metals and other important minerals also want a say. “The metals market and its importance to the energy transition is something we’re all waking up to and adapting to how it’s going to work in practice,” Bronze said.

Search resuls for: "CRU Group"

9 mentions found