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Fabricators pitch in
Members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) are collaborating with union contractors to produce and donate metal nose strips for the millions of masks being made by volunteer groups across the United States and Canada. The thin, flexible metal strips are critical to custom fitting the top of a mask to a user’s face, making them more effective, less likely to slip off and more comfortable to wear. The effort was launched by Hillery Co., a fabrication shop in Groton, Connecticut, Hillery shipped more than 500 packages containing more than 40,000 metal nose strips but as requests poured in, they outstripped the company’s capacity. That’s when union members and union shops joined in.
FEMA uses Bonnell extrusions
As the COVID-19 situation rapidly evolves, Bonnell Aluminum is extruding, fabricating and finishing parts used for FEMA tents, temporary hospital structures, hospital beds and equipment, makeshift isolation centers, food processing, emergency response facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and water management facilities. Bonnell “has been focused [being] as responsive as possible to meet the demand for these essential products,” President Brook Hamilton said.
Cliffs announces temporary closures
Although steel and iron ore production are considered essential during the pandemic, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. has temporarily idled Dearborn Works, All Precision Partners facilities, construction on its Toledo HBI plant, and roughly 65 percent of AK Tube’s production. It has also extended planned outages at AK Steel’s Mansfield Works and Butler Works in Ohio, and indefinitely idled AK Coal. Production at Northshore Mine will be idled until August, and Tilden Mine is idled until July, the company reported.
Anti-microbial copper breakthrough
An Australian company, SPEE3D, has developed and tested a fast and affordable way to 3D print anti-microbial copper onto metal surfaces. Laboratory tests show that touch surfaces modified by this process contact kills 96 percent of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in just two hours. The process, known as Activat-3D copper, was developed by modifying SPEE3D’s 3D printing technology, using new algorithms for controlling their metal printers to allow existing metal parts to be coated with copper. It is hoped the breakthrough will be applied to common touch items like door handles, rails and touch plates in hospitals, schools and other public places.
Tube producer idles U.S. capacity
Tenaris S.A., in response to an adverse scenario of declining oil and gas prices, oversupply in the oil market and operational restrictions originated by the COVID-19 crisis, the company is temporarily closing facilities in Koppel and Ambridge, Pennsylvania; Brookfield, Ohio; and Baytown, Texas; until market conditions improve. Layoffs will occur at those plants.
Hornet Cutting establishes partnership
Hornet Cutting Systems, Valley Center, Kansas, has partnered with On Point Solutions, a fabrication equipment supplier based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, with a sales region extending throughout 12 central U.S. states. The partnership provides increased capabilities for On Point Solutions and improved access for Hornet CNC cutting machines to regional customers.
Novelis-Aleris merger finalized
Novelis Inc. closed on its acquisition of Aleris Corp. “This is a long-term strategic bet,” said Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of Aditya Birla Group and Novelis Inc. “The Aleris deal crucially enables the further diversification of our metals portfolio into other premium market segments, most notably aerospace. Novelis now owns 13 Aleris plants across North America, Europe and Asia.
Cliffs/AK Steel labor pact ratified
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., Cleveland, reported that its employees represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 1943 have ratified a three-year labor agreement at the company’s AK Steel facility in Middletown, Ohio. The contract was ratified in voting held on March 18, 2020. The new agreement covers 1,825 hourly employees and will be in effect through May 2023.
Howmet, Arconic separate
Howmet Aerospace and Arconic Inc. are now two standalone companies: Howmet Aerospace Inc. and Arconic Corp. Howmet Aerospace began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker HWM. Howment is led by co-CEOs John C. Plant and Tolga Oal, who previously was president of Arconic Engineered Structures.
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Reading Alloys sold
Kymera International, which manufactures powders, pastes and granules of primary and alloyed aluminum, copper, tin and zinc, has acquired Reading Alloys, Robesonia, Pennsylvania. Reading Alloys designs, develops and produces master alloys, thermal barrier coatings and titanium powders. The supplies titanium and superalloy mill products used in aerospace and aircraft applications. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.