TPT September 2007

Industry News

First time in Tianjin for the China Steel Tube Expo 2007

Commercial Metals invest in Croatian pipe mill

Targeted at the Bohai-rim and northeast Asian region, the China Steel Tube Expo 2007 will take place from 10-12 October 2007. Staged at the Tianjin Binhai international convention and exhibition centre, the event will feature a large number of domestic and international manufacturers and suppliers of seamless and welded tube. According to organisers the Shanghai Shenshi Exhibition Service Co Ltd, 300 companies are expected to cover an exhibit area of 20,000m 2 . These companies will exhibit the latest products and technology in the steel tube industry. It will be the first time that the event has been held in Tianjin Binhai New Area, which is regarded by the Chinese government as a fast growing and highly promising area to promote international trade. Sponsors include the China Steel Pipe Association of China Steel Construction Society (CSPA), Hebei Steel Tube Trade Association, and Shanghai Steel Tube Trade Association. Tube product exhibits will include seamless steel tube, welded pipe, stainless steel

tube, seamless special-shape tube, carbon steel tube, cold drawn seamless steel tube, composite steel tube, and hot galvanizing steel tube. Featured machinery and equipment will comprise production and processing technology, welding equipment, inspection apparatus, surface engineering technology and corrosion preventive technology. The event in October follows on from the 3 rd Shanghai Tube Expo and China International Steel Tube Industry Seminar, held last May. This combined event attracted over 400 companies from 30 countries and regions, including USA, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Italy, China and southeast Asia. Exhibitors included Baosteel, Tianjin Pipe, Hengyang Steel, Baoji Petroleum Steel, Jinghua Steel, SMS, Techint, Inductotherm, EFD, ABB, and Siemens

Commercial Metals International AG, the Swiss subsidiary of Commercial Metals Company, USA, is set to acquire Valjaonica Cijevi Sisak (Sisak), following an agreement with the Croatian government. Sisak is an electric arc furnace-based steel pipe company with an annual pipe making capacity of around 305,000 metric tons. The deal – worth in the region of US$7 million – will lead to an investment from CMC of about US$40 million. Mr Hanns Zoellner, executive vice president and president of CMC's marketing and distribution operations, stated, “Sisak will be our base for growth in the robust and key markets of central and eastern Europe. We know that this is a turnaround opportunity and are ready to invest to bring this mill to a high level of profitability.” Commercial Metals International – USA Fax : +1 214 689 5886 Website : www.commercialmetals.com

Shanghai Shenshi Exhibition Service Co Ltd – China Fax : +86 22 24140707 Email : shanghai1984@126.com Website : www.mtmexpo.com

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S eptember /O ctober 2007