News for October 2009

News Archive

REACH stakeholders gather

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) which is in charge of implementing REACH environmental legislation is staging its third Stakeholders’ Day at the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre, Finland on 7 December. Up to 500 participants are expected.

China trader buys into Canadian nickel

China’s largest nickel trader is taking a 15% stake in Royal Nickel Corp, a small mining outfit led by former Inco executives including ex-CEO Scott Hand.

Delphi back on the road

Former Tier One PM auto parts supplier Delphi has emerged from Chapter 11, almost four years after it filed for bankruptcy protection and signalled the start of the downward spiral that has since decimated Detroit and the US auto business.

Metalysis grant boost

A £1.5 million development grant to Metalysis, is to help provide 90 jobs at the speciality metals technology innovator.

Lutheran to head MPIF

Michael E Lutheran, vice president of United States Metal Powders Inc (USMP), based in Flemington, New Jersey has been elected president of the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF) and Barton White, president of SCM Metal Products Inc, of Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, was elected president of the Metal Powder Producers Association (MPPA).

Umicore does better in Q3

Business performance at Belgian materials group Umicore improved in Q3, reflecting a combination of better than expected sales developments in most segments and the effect of cost reductions.

OMH secures major interest in manganese project

OM Holdings Limited (OMH) has bought a large stake in the Tshipi é Ntle manganese project in the Kalahari Basin, South Africa. It has acquired 49.9% equity from co-investors.

Metaldyne sale over

Metaldyne Corporation has completed the sale of substantially all of its assets to MD Investors Corporation.

China tops world league table

Data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) shows a total of 1.3 million vehicles were sold in China during September, up 77.8% year on year.

India vehicle exports boom

India, with the ninth largest auto industry in the world, is becoming a major export base for the global business.

PM bounces back for GKN

GKN’s powder metallurgy business returned to profit in June, towards the end of a half year that was described by Sir Kevin Smith, CEO of UK-based GKN plc as “very challenging”.

Upgrade to global powder metallurgy database

The online Global Powder Metallurgy Database (GPMD) has added a new section which contains more than 130 full fatigue curves for a number of Fe, Cu and C steels covering a range of material conditions and fatigue loading conditions.

Metal powder process creates stable nanowires

Researchers from Japan have developed a method for producing metal nanowires that heats carbon nanotubes and a metal powder together in a vacuum.

More secrets trouble in Detroit

Following the jailing of three people earlier this year in the wake of the conspiracy to steal trade secrets from powder-forging experts Metaldyne (Metal Powder Report, March 2009), the FBI has filed trade secrets theft charges in Detroit against a former employee of Ford.