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Hybrid growth forecast in US
Ecka takes BSA in fire sale move to extend range NON-FERROUS powder maker Ecka Granules based in Essen, Germany, has acquired the Birmingham, UK, powder operation of BSA Metal Powders in a bankruptcy sale completed in the closing days of December, 2005. The move has come as a great relief for the 30 employees whose future had been in the balance for three months. Operating as Ecka Granules Metal Powders Ltd, the former BSA facility makes copper, brass and leaded bronze powders, and nickel-cobalt-iron alloy powders for thermal spraying and industrial diamond markets. The plant has
three air-atomising units and two water-atomising units. Two other BSA units were involved in last year's receivership. BSA Precision castings at Redditch has closed and although there have been rumours of a buyer for BSA Sintering in Ipswich, no commercial interest has been confirmed. Ecka's acquisition of the former BSA operation extends its product range in the nickelcobalt area and the new owners are expected to invest in Birmingham with a view to ramping up production in a move that could see the opera-
tion back in profit by April or May. Ecka has also entered a JV with Zhongke Tongdu Powder New Material Co Ltd, owned by a major copper smelter, forming Ecka Tongdu Metal Powder. Located in Tongling, west of Shanghai, the plant produces copper powder via air, nitrogen or water atomisation and has an annual capacity of 2,200 tonnes. Ecka is one of the largest nonferrous metal powder companies in the world, producing more than 110,000 tonnes of aluminium, copper, tin, and magnesium powders annually.
Hoeganaes wins ISO in Romania HOEGANAES Corporation's iron powder manufacturing plant in Buzau, Romania, has received ISO/TS 16949:2002 certification. The plant is part of Hoeganaes Corporation Europe, which is in turn a subsidiary of London-based GKN plc. Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance certifies companies to this standard developed by the International Automotive Task Force and submitted to the International Standards Organisation (ISO) for approval and publication. The standard specifies the quality system requirements for the design, development, production, installation, and servicing of automotive related products. "All Hoeganaes
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MPR February 2006
Corporation's manufacturing facilities have now been approved for ISO/TS 16949:2002 certification," said Dave Stojakovich, director of quality assurance. • ARC Metals, a US Hoeganaes division, has achieved ISO 14001:1996 certification. The division produces custom premixed powders and recycles ferrous powders. ARC Metals has plants in Ridgway and St. Marys in Pennsylvania and joins the other four Hoeganaes North American plants that have gained this certification. International risk assessment agency Det Norske Veritas certified the company's environmental policy and systems, which
include written procedures for proactively identifying and addressing elements of its production processes that, if left unchecked, could have a negative impact on the local ecosystem.
Hybrid growth forecast in US US hybrid-electric vehicle sales are expected to more than triple between 2005 and 2012, reported J D Power and Associates' Automotive Forecasting Services Hybrid-Electric Vehicle Outlook. In the future hybrid vehicles will be available in almost all market segments, including full-size pickups, minivans and luxury cars.
Delphi puts the $1bn bang in bankrupt Chapter 11 auto parts supplier Delphi Corporation disclosed last month that it lost more than $1.1 billion in December. Delphi, a former General Motors (GM) subsidiary that filed for bankruptcy in early October, is required to file monthly financial reports with the US Bankruptcy Court. It said its financial performance had rapidly deteriorated because of production cuts at GM, rising commodity prices and other materials and non-competitive wages and labour agreements that prevent the company shedding unprofitable businesses. The company reported revenues of $1.4 billion in December with 58 per cent coming from GM. These results are unaudited and compare with a net loss of $127 million on sales of $2.9 billion during the period from 8 October to November 30. Delphi is also to accept a $950 million noncash charge for 2005 to cover asset write-downs. Delphi is talking to both GM and the major unions about a possible bailout deal that would see a financial injection from GM in return for union agreement to sharply reduced wage and benefit levels. The company is due in court again later this month, at which point it may ask for labour contracts to be nullified if no agreement is reached.
metal-powder.net
three air-atomising units and two water-atomising units. Two other BSA units were involved in last year's receivership. BSA Precision castings at Redditch has closed and although there have been rumours of a buyer for BSA Sintering in Ipswich, no commercial interest has been confirmed. Ecka's acquisition of the former BSA operation extends its product range in the nickelcobalt area and the new owners are expected to invest in Birmingham with a view to ramping up production in a move that could see the opera-
tion back in profit by April or May. Ecka has also entered a JV with Zhongke Tongdu Powder New Material Co Ltd, owned by a major copper smelter, forming Ecka Tongdu Metal Powder. Located in Tongling, west of Shanghai, the plant produces copper powder via air, nitrogen or water atomisation and has an annual capacity of 2,200 tonnes. Ecka is one of the largest nonferrous metal powder companies in the world, producing more than 110,000 tonnes of aluminium, copper, tin, and magnesium powders annually.
Hoeganaes wins ISO in Romania HOEGANAES Corporation's iron powder manufacturing plant in Buzau, Romania, has received ISO/TS 16949:2002 certification. The plant is part of Hoeganaes Corporation Europe, which is in turn a subsidiary of London-based GKN plc. Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance certifies companies to this standard developed by the International Automotive Task Force and submitted to the International Standards Organisation (ISO) for approval and publication. The standard specifies the quality system requirements for the design, development, production, installation, and servicing of automotive related products. "All Hoeganaes
6
MPR February 2006
Corporation's manufacturing facilities have now been approved for ISO/TS 16949:2002 certification," said Dave Stojakovich, director of quality assurance. • ARC Metals, a US Hoeganaes division, has achieved ISO 14001:1996 certification. The division produces custom premixed powders and recycles ferrous powders. ARC Metals has plants in Ridgway and St. Marys in Pennsylvania and joins the other four Hoeganaes North American plants that have gained this certification. International risk assessment agency Det Norske Veritas certified the company's environmental policy and systems, which
include written procedures for proactively identifying and addressing elements of its production processes that, if left unchecked, could have a negative impact on the local ecosystem.
Hybrid growth forecast in US US hybrid-electric vehicle sales are expected to more than triple between 2005 and 2012, reported J D Power and Associates' Automotive Forecasting Services Hybrid-Electric Vehicle Outlook. In the future hybrid vehicles will be available in almost all market segments, including full-size pickups, minivans and luxury cars.
Delphi puts the $1bn bang in bankrupt Chapter 11 auto parts supplier Delphi Corporation disclosed last month that it lost more than $1.1 billion in December. Delphi, a former General Motors (GM) subsidiary that filed for bankruptcy in early October, is required to file monthly financial reports with the US Bankruptcy Court. It said its financial performance had rapidly deteriorated because of production cuts at GM, rising commodity prices and other materials and non-competitive wages and labour agreements that prevent the company shedding unprofitable businesses. The company reported revenues of $1.4 billion in December with 58 per cent coming from GM. These results are unaudited and compare with a net loss of $127 million on sales of $2.9 billion during the period from 8 October to November 30. Delphi is also to accept a $950 million noncash charge for 2005 to cover asset write-downs. Delphi is talking to both GM and the major unions about a possible bailout deal that would see a financial injection from GM in return for union agreement to sharply reduced wage and benefit levels. The company is due in court again later this month, at which point it may ask for labour contracts to be nullified if no agreement is reached.
metal-powder.net