Much of the steel mill’s output goes into the oil and energy sectors.

London- and Moscow-based steelmaker Evraz has reportedly issued layoff and furlough notices to some 200 workers at its electric arc furnace (EAF) Rocky Mountain Steel Mill in Pueblo, Colorado.

An online report by the Pueblo Chieftain newspaper describes the measures as temporary and relating to the severe downturn in the oil and gas drilling industries. Much of the plant’s output becomes tubular goods for those sectors.

Patrick Waldron, an Evraz spokesperson, is quoted by the Chieftain as saying, “For the oil and gas industry this is unprecedented, with the circumstances of the economic shock brought on by the coronavirus on top of the oil prices dropping.”

On its website, Evraz says it produces “rail, seamless pipe, rod and coiled reinforcing bar” at the Pueblo mill. An Evraz fact sheet on the facility says, “Our steelmaking operation melts more than 1.25 million tons of recycled metal scrap in its electric arc furnace (EAF)  each year to make more than 300 different grades of steel.”

Bunting has announced the addition of new electromagnetic products.

Newton, Kansas-based Bunting has announced the addition of several new products to its Elk Grove Village, Illinois location’s online catalog, including N42 and electromagnet products.

“Our new stock of plated N42 neodymium disc magnets gives our customers greater options in selecting the perfect neodymium magnet for their application,” the company says.

The newly added stock of round electromagnets provides an efficient and economical solution for handling ferrous materials and parts safely and securely. They are available in several shapes and sizes and can be used in a variety of manual and automated applications. According to Bunting, the magnets require little maintenance and are 100 percent duty cycle.

Rectangular flat-faced electromagnets also are available on the online catalog and are ideal for achieving maximum holding force on flat, smooth, dry or unpainted surfaces, the company says. These magnets are also ideal for surfaces where the entire face of the magnet comes in direct contact with the product being handled.

Flat-faced electromagnets are designed with a center magnetic pole and use the outer case as the opposite pole, and they concentrate the magnetic force at the center of the magnet to achieve superior holding power.

SWANA joins more than 170 organizations to request that congressional leadership support legislation to provide $500 billion in federal aid to local governments.

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Maryland, has joined more than 170 other organizations urging Congress to include direct relief to cities, towns and villages in future federal assistance packages in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to SWANA, the unprecedented coronavirus public health crisis has strained municipal budgets across the U.S. This will test their ability to provide essential services to communities and support local economic activity in these critical times.

In response to these challenges, SWANA and others have requested that congressional leadership support legislation that would provide $500 billion of federal aid over two years to local governments. The association requests that these funds be fairly and directly allocated without exclusions based on population and should provide equal funding overall for both municipal and county governments.

In light of the extent and the complexity of the situation, SWANA says it believes maximum flexibility should be provided for the eligible use of the funds to address the budget consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Municipal governments are incurring increased expenses and are taking in less revenue due to the pandemic, and this can be expected to continue for several years,” says David Biderman, SWANA’s executive director and CEO. “This puts essential services that millions of Americans depend on every day at risk, including police, fire protection, and sanitation services. SWANA urges Congress to provide support to cities and other local governmental entities.”

Todd Havican joins the company to oversee sales team.

Fagus GreCon Inc., a supplier in development of fire prevention solutions based in Charlotte, North Carolina, has appointed Todd Havican as director of sales. 

According to a news release from Fagus GreCon, Havican joined the organization May 4 with more than 25 years of experience leading sales teams in a variety of industries, including fire protection, nonwovens, dust collection and food processing. Havican will be based at the company’s North American headquarters in Charlotte. Prior to joining Fagus GreCon, Havican recently served as national sales manager at Apollo Valves and before that as sales manager for Leser GmbH.

In the new position, Havican will be working with the company’s sales team to grow existing business and expand Fagus GreCon’s reach in existing and new markets.

Fagus GreCon recently moved headquarters from Portland, Oregon, to Charlotte about two years ago. The company says that move brought it closer to its customers.

General Iron says it is investigating the cause of the explosion.

General Iron’s ongoing battle with legislators on Chicago’s North Side entered a new chapter following explosions that occurred Monday, May 18, at its yard.

According to a report from 5Chicago, the incident happened after 9 a.m. at the company’s scrap yard and auto shredding facility in Chicago’s Ranch Triangle neighborhood on the North Side. Although no injuries were reported, Chicago’s Department of Buildings and the Chicago Fire Department ordered the location to close. According to the city, the facility will remain closed until an action plan is created and approved.

5Chicago reports that the city’s Department of Buildings released a statement that reads, “The business will remain closed, with the exception of regular on-site maintenance, machinery repairs and removal of finished materials from the site until a corrective action plan has been approved by the city and shared with the community.”

General Iron issued the following statement after the incident: “Shortly after 9 a.m. today, an explosion occurred within the metal shredding process at the General Iron metal recycling facility at 1909 N. Clifton Ave. No one was injured, and there was no ensuing fire after the initial incident. Shredding operations have ceased for the present time. We are thoroughly investigating all possible causes, including potential sabotage. We are fully cooperating with city officials.”

5Chicago cites a statement from Ald. Brian Hopkins that says General Iron will “be afforded due process in their attempt to prove that they can operate in compliance if allowed to reopen.”

Hopkins also said there was a "sudden increase in pollution readings detected in [the] surrounding residential neighborhood" following the blast, but 5Chicago reports that air quality tests did not reveal immediate health risks to area residents, with the Chicago Fire Department saying pollution levels did not appear to increase as a result of the explosion.

"The Chicago Department of Public Health is on-site to conduct further testing and evaluation, and the Fire Department is investigating the incident," according to a statement from the Chicago Fire Department that 5Chicago cites. "Should any environmental violation be determined, the city will issue citations immediately."

Hopkins reportedly has called for the "permanent and immediate closure of this hazardous facility."

Shredder explosions are not an unusual occurrence. Propane tanks, sealed gas containers, airbags and  lithium-ion batteries have been known to lead to explosions in auto shredders if not detected prior to processing.

General Iron and its shredder have been ongoing targets for area residents in recent years. The company recently invested $2 million to install a regenerative thermal oxidizer on its shredder, which is designed to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The move was in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s assertion that the company had the potential to emit VOCs in excess of the Title V major source threshold, though the company says it had not done so, nor did it operate close to its permitted levels.

General Iron and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed on an administrative consent order resolving the alleged violations the EPA issued the company in 2018.

The company, which is part of Stow, Ohio-based Reserve Management Group, is relocating its North Side operations, which are in a gentrifying area, to a site that the Reserve Management Group owns on Chicago’s South Side.

Earlier this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading throughout the U.S., a March 31 Chicago Tribune article portrayed some of the company’s neighbors as being “livid” that the scrap company has continued to operate. The article says a Lincoln Park neighborhood resident named Lara Compton, who is part of a group called Clean The North Branch, has written to the governor of Illinois to complain about perceived air pollution emanating from General Iron.

General Iron issued a second statement May 19 that reads:

"Professional engineers are on-site today to assess the damage caused by yesterday’s explosion and to continue a thorough investigation to determine the root cause. We will examine all possibilities and not speculate until the investigation is completed. We are thankful that no one was injured, but the reality is that the damage was severe enough that we are unable to operate until sufficient repairs are made. We will comply with every reasonable request and condition that the city imposes to ensure that public health and safety, as well as our employees and customers, are fully protected before resuming operations.

"We are equally committed to environmental protection. The Chicago Fire Department yesterday confirmed 'no increased pollution levels' and no 'apparent immediate health risk to residents and the surrounding community.' Recent tests, and recent visits by city and state officials, confirmed that the shredder and pollution control equipment were operating in full compliance with air quality requirements. The fact remains that no other local recycling facility can match General’s Iron’s capacity to handle the Chicago area’s volume of recyclable metal or has pollution control equipment that is the best available technology and ensures the lowest emissions rates."