The worldwide demand for ductile Iron castings stands between 25-30 billion tonnes every year. Naturally, this USD 55 billion dollar market has seen a steady rise in the number of solution providers to the industry in recent times to combat the rising demand. The new entrant to this sector is SEForge, a new age Hand Moulded No Bake Ductile Iron casting company. SEForge has a manufacturing facility for…

COIMBATORE (India): Sakthi Automotive Group, a division of Sakthi Sugars Ltd, has acquired Arvika Gjuteri AB, an iron foundry in Sweden. A release from the company said Arvika was focusing on the production of medium to large castings for the heavy duty truck and off-road vehicles. For the year ended December 31, 2007, Arvika achieved sales to the tune of 43 million Euro. Sakthi Automotive Group had three…

Bogra (Bangladesh): Iron foundries in Bogra district face closure in the wake of price hike of raw materials, industry people have said. They also said high import duties on raw materials are holding back the prospects of the industry in Bogra, the home to some 35 small iron foundries. Ainul Haque Sohel, president of Foundry Owners Association of Bangladesh, said high prices of pig iron and hard coke, which…

euroLITE – the meeting point for the lightweight construction industry generates strong interest among exhibitors Karlsruhe/Salzburg - As the only specialist trade fair in Europe, euroLITE focuses on the entire spectrum of development and simulation tools, materials and production technologies for lightweight construction. It's a concept which has aroused great interest among the suppliers of these products…

Belgaum (India): The Belgaum Chapter (Southern Region) of The Institute of Indian Foundrymen (IIF) has said there is a likely threat of closing down the foundry units in Belgaum and the neighbouring Kolhapur district in Maharashtra for a fortnight “to avoid heavy losses” because of the rising prices of raw materials. Members of the IIF marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Saturday to draw the…

LONDON (UK): Global steel prices could hit new peaks in 2008, thanks to skyrocketing raw material, energy and freight costs, coupled with tighter supplies because of falling exports from China. A looming recession in the United States poses a risk for demand, but many believe requirements from the developing world and China will help support prices. And, after several years of working to develop financial…

China's largest steelmaker, Baosteel, has formed a joint venture with the China Shipping Group to provide Baosteel with ships for iron ore imports. The joint venture "will help Baosteel to control shipping costs and help China Shipping to increase market share," said Li Shaode, president of China Shipping, in a story in People's Daily, the newspaper of China's Communist Party. The joint venture will provide…

MUMBAI (India) -- A dozen years ago, many believed that India's Tata Group -- the country's oldest and largest conglomerate -- was a bloated behemoth that would eventually go under. Instead, it has become a powerhouse in the 21st century, focusing on core businesses like steel and automobiles and seizing opportunities, including the hugely profitable outsourcing business, that came with India's dramatic…

Article also available in Representatives of many international carmakers and automotive suppliers examined on 14./15. February in "Druckguss Center Laichingen" a new die casting concept for engine blocks developed in cooperation between Bühler Druckguss AG and Schaufler-Tooling GmbH & Co. KG. The new concept promises reduced cycle times, easier and more favourable moulds as well as higher durability on…

Vale's putative $85bn takeover of Xstrata was on Wednesday night on the brink of collapse after a major shareholder in the Anglo-Swiss miner refused to agree to the terms of the offer. Glencore, the commodities trader which owns 35 per cent of Xstrata, was demanding a significant extension of the lucrative marketing rights to commodities, including coal and nickel, that it already has in place with Xstrata,…