GENERAL NEWS voestalpine expands US production capacity
A bundle of frame rails . Frame rail automotive application . Voestalpine ’ s Jefferson , Indiana ( USA ) site .
With its high-tech special tubes and sections , the voestalpine Group supplies global industry sectors such as construction , solar and automotive . Its Metal Forming Division has now signed new long-term contracts in this product area with two global truck manufacturers for the North American market . For this , the steel and technology group is expanding its production capacity at its site in Indiana , USA . The investment for the expansion amounts to 70 million euros ( US $ 78 million ) and will create 110 new jobs .
“ We are expanding our site in Jeffersonville , Indiana , by around 15,000 square metres of production space to ensure the necessary production capacity for the manufacture of high-quality structural components for Class- 6 , 7 , and 8 trucks . Production capacity will be doubled to 80,000 tons , with production scheduled to start in 2026 ,” confirmed the Group .
“ In Europe , voestalpine has been a leading
Herbert Eibensteiner , CEO of voestalpine AG .
player in roll forming complex special tubes and sections for the commercial vehicle sector for many years . We will now transfer this production knowledge to the North American market and further invest in our existing roll forming facilities ,” commented Herbert Eibensteiner , CEO of voestalpine AG .
In addition to the new hall , the investment also includes the purchase of new equipment . Just recently , voestalpine also opened a new production hall in Shelbyville , Kentucky
( USA ) which also specialises in the manufacture of customised tube and section components .
The Metal Forming Division is voestalpine ’ s centre of competence for highly refined sections , tube and precision strip steel products as well as for ready-to-install system components made of pressed , stamped and roll-formed parts . The division employs almost 11,600 people and has set itself the goal of achieving climate-neutral manufacturing by 2035 . n
www . voestalpine . com
Tapered end of frame rail .
Cautious metalforming outlook from PMA
Metalforming manufacturers ’ outlook is cautious heading into the final quarter of 2024 , while shipping levels rose moderately , according to the September 2024 Precision Metalforming Association ( PMA ) Business Conditions Report . Prepared monthly , PMA ’ s report provides an economic indicator for the next three months of manufacturing , sampling 91 metalforming companies in the United States and Canada .
“ Our September report shows that 54 % of the manufacturers responding to the survey expect no change in economic activity in the next three months ( up from 47 % in August ), 31 % forecast a decrease in activity ( compared to 38 % in August ) and 15 % anticipate an increase in activity ( the same percentage reported in August ),” commented the PMA .
“ Metalformers ’ forecast for incoming orders was little changed from the previous
month , with 26 % of survey respondents expecting an increase in orders during the next three months ( the same percentage reported in August ), 42 % predicting no change in orders ( compared to 46 % last month ) and 32 % anticipating a decrease increase in orders ( compared to 28 % in August ),” it added .
Current average daily shipping levels in September rose slightly with 19 % of survey respondents reporting an increase in shipping levels ( compared to 12 % in August ), 45 % reporting no change ( compared to 48 %) and 36 % reporting a decrease in levels ( down from 40 %). The survey also showed that 5 % of respondents reported a portion of their workforce on short time or layoff in August , while 34 % reported that they are currently expanding their workforce . Ten percent of metalforming companies reported an increase in lead times in September
( compared to 6 % in August ), according to the report ,
“ PMA members continue to face challenges but have remained remarkably resilient during turbulent times marked by supply-chain challenges , high interest rates and the failure of Congress to reinstate important tax provisions ,” said PMA President , David Klotz . “ According to the September Business Conditions Report , the majority of metalforming manufacturers are expecting business conditions to remain stable , but more than 30 % expressed READ concerns about a potential slowdown in activity .” n
REPORT
www . pma . org / home /
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