Last week, IAM 837 machinists voted 68% to 32% to approve Boeing’s fifth contract proposal, ending a strike that lasted for more than three months. Under the terms of the agreement, most workers will get an 8% pay increase in...
Earlier this month, I spoke at and attended two conferences: Forging Industry Association Fall Meeting SMR North American Stainless Steel and Special Metals Conference Key Takeaways: The Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) for US, Germany, China, and EU has been flat...
Late last month, the US and China agreed to pause their trade disputes for one year while they work on a comprehensive agreement. The interim framework addressed retaliatory tariffs, rare earth elements, shipbuilding, soybeans, and fentanyl precursor chemicals. Most notably...
We attended Titanium USA 2025 held in Boston in late September and the titanium supply base was clearly languishing in an oversupply situation. In fact, Airbus announced that their 2026 purchases of titanium would be lower than 2025’s before resuming...
In our previous update regarding the IAM 837 strike at Boeing’s St. Louis defense plant, we observed that “the strike could linger until financial pressures force a dissatisfied workforce to accept an agreement they perceive as unfair, which historically occurs...
Based in Poland, Wolften is a stocking distributor of nonferrous metal products, including titanium, nickel, tungsten, molybdenum, and tantalum to customers in the aerospace, chemical processing, energy and industrial markets. The acquisition expands AMA’s capabilities and reach in Europe and will...
Haynes International recently announced the development of two new alloys: Hastelloy WR-66 and Haynes 292. Haynes said they engineered Hastelloy WR-66 for the combination of sliding wear resistance and corrosion resistance in aqueous environments. It is slated to be offered...
3,500 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 (IAM 837) at three Boeing facilities in the St. Louis area went on strike on August 4th after rejecting contract offers from Boeing on July 27 and...
This year’s Paris Air Show revealed a cautiously optimistic supply chain, tempered by persistent supply constraints and the ongoing shadow of trade uncertainty. Tariffs remain a wildcard. Many suppliers are in wait-and-see mode, though some have begun shifting production and logistics...