Bob Tita
Reporter following manufacturing for The Wall Street Journal. Views are solely my own.
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Tariffs Didn’t Fuel Revival for American Steel
Bob Tita - WSJ 121d 5 tweets
President Trump’s 25% duties haven’t yielded the steelmaking renaissance that he promised during his 2016 campaign. The industry's early job gains evaporated as steel demand and prices sank.
WSJ News Exclusive | Harley Plans for Fewer Models, Simpler Factories After Coronavirus Shutdown
Bob Tita - WSJ 281d 1 tweets
Harley-Davidson is reopening its factories this week at lower production rates and sending dealers a narrower range of motorcycles, steering away from more expansive plans to stop a yearslong sales slide.
Heavy-Duty Truck Orders Plunge to Record Low
Jennifer Smith - WSJ 295d 1 tweets
Orders for heavy-duty trucks in April plunged to the lowest level on record as trucking companies put expansion plans on ice due to upheaval from the coronavirus pandemic.
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Bob Tita North American fleets ordered 4,000 of the Class 8 trucks used in highway transport last month, a 73% drop from April 2019 via 295d
U.S. Factories Face a Hitch in Reopening: Mexico’s Shutdown
Bob Tita - WSJ 296d 2 tweets
U.S. manufacturers preparing to resume production after a month of lockdowns are returning to work without a reliable supply of parts from plants in Mexico, the majority of which remain idled by restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Steelmakers’ Worst Slump in a Decade Seen Getting Worse
Bob Tita - WSJ 312d 1 tweets
U.S. steel companies are slashing production to match the collapse in demand and in anticipation that orders and prices will fall further.
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Bob Tita The U.S. steel industry is in its most severe downturn since the 2008 financial crisis, as steelmakers ratchet back output and shed workers, expecting orders and prices have further to fall via 312d
Coronavirus Epidemic Exacerbates Metals Glut
Bob Tita - WSJ 353d 1 tweets
With factories closed and the movement of people and freight restricted to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, China’s demand for steel and aluminum has plummeted.
U.S. to Impose Tariffs on EU Goods After WTO’s Airbus Ruling
WSJ 512d 1 tweets
The Trump administration will move swiftly to implement tariffs on $7.5 billion of imports from the European Union, following a decision from the World Trade Organization that authorized tariffs due to EU subsidies of Airbus.
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Bob Tita U.S. to Impose Tariffs on $7.5 Billion of EU Imports After WTO’s Airbus Ruling via 512d
Truck Makers Apply the Brakes
Bob Tita - WSJ 542d 1 tweets
Daimler Trucks North America, Paccar, Volvo Trucks USA and Navistar International are logging sharply lower orders, as trade tensions and slower global growth depress freight volumes.
Deere Considers Cost Cuts, Higher Prices
Bob Tita - WSJ 924d 1 tweets
Deere reported strong demand in its construction and farming markets in the latest quarter but said it would cut costs and raise prices due to higher raw material and logistics expenses.
Alcoa Requests Exemption from Aluminum Tariff
Bob Tita - WSJ 934d 1 tweets
The largest U.S. aluminum maker asked the Trump administration for an exemption from tariffs on aluminum imported from Canada.
Costs Are Crashing the Party for Manufacturers
Bob Tita - WSJ 950d 3 tweets
Industrial firms are booking more orders and delivering higher profits. But costs are rising as well, threatening the outlook for the sector.
Cummins Will Pay Tariff to Import Engines From Its Own Plants in China
Bob Tita - WSJ 978d 3 tweets
Cummins, which imports engines and other products from its factories in China, is among U.S. companies likely to be stung by an American tariff on Chinese-made goods that takes effect next month.
Recycling, Once Embraced by Businesses and Environmentalists, Now Under Siege
Bob Tita - WSJ 1019d 12 tweets
The U.S. recycling industry is breaking down as prices for scrap paper and plastic have collapsed.
Metal Buyers Race to Secure Supplies Ahead of Tariff Decision
Bob Tita - WSJ 1034d 2 tweets
Manufacturers are racing to shore up supplies of steel and aluminum, as the Trump administration considers an end to some tariff exemptions that could tighten supplies and push prices of both metals up further.
How Century Aluminum Won a Lonely Fight for Tariffs
Bob Tita - WSJ 1071d 2 tweets
In an industry hollowed out by decades of foreign competition and plant closings, a little-known aluminum maker became the leading advocate for tariffs that most of its competitors didn’t want.
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Bob Tita This little-known aluminum maker became the leading advocate for tariffs that most of its competitors didn’t want via 1071d
Steel Is Back in Style With Car Makers
Bob Tita - WSJ 1229d 1 tweets
Auto makers are using more lightweight, high-strength steel for components that shave pounds off their latest models.
U.S. Steel Posts Surprise Loss, Plans Mill, Equipment Upgrades
Bob Tita - WSJ 1400d 1 tweets
United States Steel Corp. shares plunged Wednesday on a surprise quarterly loss and plans to overhaul mills at the expense of profit this year.
Donald Trump’s Bid to Stem Steel Imports Faces Hurdles
Bob Tita - WSJ 1407d 3 tweets
President Trump’s bid to stanch imports flowing into the U.S. steel market is fighting strong currents: Domestic prices that are among the world’s highest and a buoyant dollar that pushes down the cost of imports.