The EU mills continue to curb capacity but many market players question whether the cuts are sufficient. Distributors are still destocking because sales to end-users are so poor that the whole process is taking much longer than anticipated. Credit issues are exacerbating an already dismal demand situation. The producers have held back from making official announcements for the second quarter. They lowered prices for March output, amidst weak demand, financial uncertainty and severe competition for the small amounts of business that were available. German consumption remains subdued with no signals that any improvement is on the horizon. Distributors are finding it hard to reduce inventories due to dreadfully low sales. Basis values continue to dip slightly. It is difficult to establish a market level since each mill makes its own price, depending on quantity and how few orders they have on their books

Financial Times Deutschland cited unspecified sources as saying ThyssenKrupp, Germany's biggest steelmaker, plans to transfer parts of its stainless steel business into an alliance with Finland's Outokumpu. ThyssenKrupp warned on Thursday it could post a net loss this fiscal year as the global economic downturn hits demand for capital goods such as cars and ships. The group also announced a restructuring that will trim its management board to five from eight.

German industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp forecast a loss in its fiscal second quarter on Thursday as the global economic downturn hits demand for capital goods like cars and ships. Germany's biggest steelmaker also announced it would combine its five core businesses into two divisions in a step that aims to save up to 500 million euros ($674.6 million) in annual costs.

Stainless Refinery: First of its Kind Australia’s first grain-to-ethanol refinery has begun production in Queensland, with an expected output of more than 80 million litres a year. Seven pressure vessels and five columns were fabricated by ASSDA Accredited D&R Stainless from 30 tonnes of grade 304 stainless steel supplied by ASSDA member Sandvik. The column sizes range from an acid reduction column 750mm in diameter and 14.2 metres long to a beer column 1900mm in diameter and 24 metres long. The columns were fabricated to tight tolerances set by process design engineers Detla T Technology, in the United States. Chief Executive Officer of Dalby Bio-Refinery Limited, Kevin Endres, has worked with Delta T technnology in the US.

If you are thinking of steeling a few sheets from your employer don't or you could end up like this chap - got to admire the Judge its a proper deterrent An ex-convict from Stillwater has been given a two and one-half year prison term for embezzling 15 sheets of 4' x 4' stainless steel from his former employer, the Victory Energy plant in Cushing, while he was working there as a welder in July. On his release from prison, Shane Lee McHenry, 32, will be on probation for two and one-half years during which he must pay $3,753 restitution and $400 in fees, under Associate District Judge Stephen Kistler's order entered March 13. McHenry, who had been free on $5,000 bond, was taken into custody following his sentencing, court records show. He had pleaded guilty in January.