May 2014, Vol. 241, No. 5

Business Meetings & Events

TMK IPSCO Cutting Operating Hours At 3 Welded Pipe Plants

TMK-IPSCO, the American Division of global pipe manufacturer TMK, will reduce the number of operating hours used to produce welded pipe at its Blytheville, AR, Camanche, IA and Wilder, KY plants. In addition, the 8-inch welded pipe mill at Wilder will be idled. In total, the number of operating hours at TMK IPSCO’s welded pipe plants will be reduced by 30%.

The decision to reduce uneconomic welded pipe operations was driven by increasing pressure from unfairly traded imports. TMK IPSCO is continuing to shift its product mix toward seamless pipe and premium connections.

“We have seen intense pressure from low-priced and unfairly traded imports, particularly welded products, for more than a year and a half,” said TMK IPSCO President and CEO Dave Mitch. “Since the International Trade Commission (ITC) announced its preliminary decision, we have seen a considerable surge in the import of Korean welded pipe,”

Mitch added almost half of the welded oil country tubular goods sold in the U.S. in 2013 was manufactured in foreign countries.