Steel Products – Shanghai Metal Corporation

The China – EU steel conflict goes on…

After it was announced on Friday that the EU had set higher import duties on two popular steel products from China, the country has hit back labelling the investigation methods as ‘unfair’. China’s commerce ministry have led the protests against the decision, labelling it “unfair and unreasonable” and “seriously damages the interests of Chinese enterprises”, due to it being a method commonly used against non-market economies.
The duties have been imposed after recent outcries of concern over the declining state of European steel industry; Britain alone has seen 5’000 jobs axed this year, primarily down to the collapse of Tata Steel UK. The EU has largely blamed China for the declining European Steel market, accusing them of dumping ludicrously cheap steel on the market, which doesn’t give competitors the opportunity to compete.
However, China who is the suppliers of 50% of the world’s steel and the largest consumer of steel, have claimed that the accusations are unjust, considering Chinese steel products represent just 5% of the European Market and have said weak economic growth is the reason behind said problems. “China hopes the EU will strictly respect relevant World Trade Organization rules and fully guarantee Chinese companies’ right to protest,” the ministry said.
The EU’s duties are set at between 13.2 and 22.6 percent for hot-rolled flat iron and steel products and at between 65.1 and 73.7 percent for heavy plate steel.
The war of trade between the EU and China doesn’t look like ending any time soon, considering the EU are still debating whether to grant china ‘market economy’ status, something China firmly argues is a given right considering in December they will have been a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for 15 years. The commission has said that China is not a market economy and that it would not recognize it as such, but would adopt a new method to set duties that would abide by WTO rules.

IMPORTANCE OF METALS IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE

Whether you like it or not, metals play a BIG PART in our everyday life. We interact with them differently as each of them has it’s own properties : some are used as supporting elements for buildings, smartphones, transportation. Some are used for decoration by artists and sculptor or some are used to display wealth, like gold for example.

That being said, we have tendency to overlook the importance of metal because we confront them directly or indirectly everywhere, therefore perceiving their presence as self-evident. Oh and also, some of them are imperceptible to human eyes so this may contribute to our lack of understanding metal in our life.

So let’s explore these hidden but common metals we interact with everyday shall we ?

COPPER for example, is a type of cheap metal used by companies to conduct electricity. The average American will use more than 1,000 pounds of copper in their lifetime ! You can find them in your ALARM CLOCKS, DENIM JEAN BUTTON, PORTABLE AUDIO DEVICES or your DOORKNOB and even in your GRANOLA BARS ! Copper is essential not only for everyday objects but also for our own body.

Next on the list is STEEL. Like Copper metal, you can find it almost everywhere too. Taken for granted, they are in buildings, machinery, cars, galleries and statues. So can you imagine our world without these elements ? It would be hard to conceive another element as useful as these metals. When the word Steel is pronounced it also means RECYCLING. Each year, the US alone recycles no less than 80 million tons of steel, which works out to about 70% of the world’s total steel recycling

Another metal important for our future is ALUMINIUM. Thanks to its strength, low weight and good potential for recycling Aluminium is as useful and flexible as it’s other metal brothers. It’s properties also allow to build high buildings, transportation and also for packaging, the most common use that this metal is known for.

Not to mention other types of metal, these three principles are maybe the most commonly known by public although people easily tend to forget their usefulness.

Apart from the referred objects we just mention, the crazy thing about metal is that it has a really wide range of function and can be used by any types of profession. Physicians and architects take advantage of these metals by constructing impressive buildings industry while some artists see these elements as pure physical support in which they transfer their imagination and creativity.

See how great metals are ? As representatives of the metal industry, Shanghai Metal Corporation is one of the leading businesses in the global field. As a major producer of copper, aluminium, steel and other metal products and service, we essentially are committed to the universal use that metal can offer by delivering overseas and promoting environmental sustainability.

To know more about our company please visit our website. Also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. You can also download our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

Maria // SMC Editor

#AddingValueAcrossTheGlobe

Maria // SMC Editor

“GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL”: A PERSPECTIVE OF PROGRESS BY JARED DIAMOND

Guns, Germs and Steel is a famous Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by Jared Diamond, an American scientist and author of other well-known science books like The Third Chimpanzee (1991) or Collapse (2005).

Guns, Germs and Steel serves to answer to why some civilizations, like the Europeans, have survived and conquered others. Jared Diamond explains that this hegemony is primarily based on their technological and intellectual superiority. To sum up everything, the success of a civilization is essentially a question of environmental luck.

The title of this book sums up the general theory of Diamond’s ideas: farm-based societies conquered and spread influences on other populations of other areas and maintained their dominance. By using weapons and technology (guns), these elements serve immediately as a form of military superiority. Diseases (germs) – can be seen indirectly as a form of biological weapon- weakened and reduced local populations, therefore making it easier to maintain superiority over them. The last “ingredient” of power concerns steel which means the development of basic infrastructures and transport and therefore enabled imperialism.

Hence according to Jared Diamond, the success or the fall of human societies are determined by geographical luck and it’s technological means. The ideas written in this book essentially describes different factors that could contribute to a better development of any civilization. Although this book provides a different perspective of development, it is also subject of various critics.

As an international corporation, we too share the same idea that steel is an amazing material that contributes to the development of every progressing society. It is both economic and sustainable. Steel for a very long time, is a material that represents progress and innovation. Shanghai Metal Corporation manufactures and distributes a large range of Steel products of high quality all over the world. For more information, you can visit the company’s website or contact us for any inquiry.

Let us know your opinion about this famous book by Jared Diamond.

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Maria // SMC Editor

Milan’s “Made in Steel”

There is a very interesting event going on in Milan these days. In parallel to the 2015 International Exposition, Milan is hosting the Made in Steel exhibition. If you are involved in the steel business it is a great opportunity to promote your products and learn on the latest news about steel and its industry.

According to the website of the fair, Made in Steel is both an industry and international event organized for the first time in 2005. It is a series of conferences and exhibitions all about steel. Here is how the official website of the event describes the fair’s aim and mise en scène.

A combination that expresses the two souls that co-exist within this event, which consists of a perfect balance between business and information, relationships and knowledge. (from madeinsteel.it)

Schermata-2015-03-19-a-10.23.53-920x435 — From lamilanocheconviene.it

If you are in Milan or close by and you do not want to miss the chance to find out more about steel, its industry and market, you still have today and tomorrow to attend Made in Steel. Don’t miss the opportunity!

untitled — This is the location of the fair.

Remember! Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection of steel products. For instance, we offer good quality Coils & Strips, Sheets & Plates, Pipes & Tubes, Bars, at a competitive price. Visit our website and do not hesitate to contact us.

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Stefano// SMC Editor

Renzo Piano’s Whitney Museum

Today Shanghai Metal Corporation brings you to the Big Apple where Italian architect Renzo Piano has recently announced the completion of the project that will host the new Whitney Museum of American Art. The building is “an asymmetric steel and concrete assembly in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District” (dezeen.com). As reported by the Telegraph: in the latest years, the area has undergone considerable transformation: it “has been cleaned up, if not wholly sanitized.” (telegraph.co.uk). The new building designed by Piano ,in collaboration with New York practice Copper Robertson, fits perfectly this renewal plan. Indeed, the district, “formerly a deserted industrial area, is now the place of fashion and art, of technological start-ups and of the trendiest meeting places.” (living.corriere.it)

Piano_Final3-kaOF-U50336222519EMB-1140x589@Living_MGslide — from living.corriere.it

Talking about the structure of the museum located along the Hudson River, the Whitney features indoor and outdoor galleries – 50,000+ square feet of indoor galleries + 13,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space on a series of rooftops (from nycedc.com). Moreover, “most impressive is the fifth floor’s showstopping 18,000-square-foot space, the largest column-free museum gallery in New York City”(from architecturaldigest.com). Finally, from the glass-doors and the numerous terraces, visitors can enjoy an amazing view of New York and the river.

As Piano said “a successful building always tells a story. You have to be able to produce rich narrative. An architect needs a good story to start with…and a good pen to write it” (form living.corriere.it) And at Shanghai Metal Corporation we really like this story!

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Karin-Jobst_dezeen_468_0 — from dezeen.com

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Karin-Jobst_dezeen_468_3 — from dezeen.com

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Nic-Lehoux_dezeen_468_1 — from dezeen.com

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Nic-Lehoux_dezeen_468_6 — from dezeen.com

The-Whitney-by-Renzo-Piano-photo-Nic-Lehoux_dezeen_468_9 — from dezeen.com

Do not forget that Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection metals such as steel which can be use for various applications. Check out our stainless steel products. We guarantee high quality and competitive prices.Feel free to contact us for further information. We have English-speaking staff who will be more than glad to help you.

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Stefano // SMC Editor

The Tree of Life – Milan 2015 Expo Steel Symbol

We have already discussed about the upcoming 2015 Expo taking place in Milan, Italy, in less than two months. As you know is a very important event, not just for the European peninsula, but also for all the participant countries willing to promote their products. This year’s theme is “Feeding the Planet. Energy for Life”. It will be very difficult for Italy to beat the success of the Chinese 2010 Expo edition, although the theme seems very interesting. If you visited Shanghai during the Universal Exposition or after 2010, you have probably visited the Chinese pavilion. Indeed, this great piece of architectural art has been the main symbol of the Shanghainese exhibition and it has rapidly became one of the main tourist attractions of the city.

34934932 — from http://www.panoramio.com

The Chinese pavillion is a 63 meters high structure inspired by the most important element of the building tradition of China: the dougong system dating back over 2000 years. It consists of wooden beams embedded in overlapping layers on a base of columns. (from IlGiornaledell’Architettura)

But what about Milan? What will be the symbol of the next Expo made in Italy? The Tree of Life. It came to light in early March, erected in the center of the Expo Lake Arena. According to L’Eco di Bergamo, the project of the tree was inspired both by the mosaic of the Otranto Cathedral and the floor of Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo, of which is a 3D version. Its creator, Marco Balich, explained that the tree is a symbol common to “all cultures, from the Bible to Avatar”.

lake arena tree of life — from http://www.madeinuvet.com

The tree has a steel structure made of 150 tons of metal, around which a wooden part was built (90 tons of wood), which will then be adorned with several plants and lights. This 35 meters high installation of steel and wood (and 45 meters of diameter) will be the highest structure of the 2015 Expo. Moreover, the tree will host one show per hour admired by 3000 people each time sitting on the arena built around the Expo lake.

In sum, the symbol of the upcoming Milan Expo 2015 is made of steel. A futuristic steel tree!

Do not forget that Shanghai Metal Corporation provides you with a great selection of steel products such as high carbon steel strips, steel wires and steel ropes, copper clad steel strips. Visit our website and do not hesitate to contact us.

Scan the QR code below and stay informed about our latest updates:

Stefano// SMC Editor

A short introduction to our LPG Cylinders

Shanghai Metal Corporation is a professional manufacturer of all kinds of LPG cylinders. The company has assets of more than USD20 million,staff of more than 400 employees and an annual production capability of more than four million cylinders.
Our company has two factories-the new one and the old one,of which the old factory specialize in the production of cylinder fittings and the new factory fulfills the other processes such as welding,painting,annealing and testing.Two factories cover an area of more than twenty thousand square meters.
Our company invests heavily into the development of new technology and the update of obsolete equipments continuously, at present our company owns six domestic first-rate flow production lines and over 300 sets of production equipment, of which the automatic welding equipments all are adopted from the imported Lincoln welders,we also have the real time image-forming system for nondestructive inspection and become one of the few manufacturers that has this kind of system.Our company constantly strengthens the R&D of technologies such as “welding” and “annealing”,and many processes hold a commanding lead in the counterparts at home.
Since the foundation,we establish the tenet of “consumers’ satisfaction first”, and insist on the quality guide line of “adopt advanced standard,technology and equipment to improve the quality of products continuously and ensure the safety performance in order to satisfy the customer’s need constantly”. After years of struggling,our products have passed the international standard certificate ISO9001 and the national certificates such as SABS and SNI.
Especially after the entrance of 21st century, we pay much attention to both national and nternational markets. We actively practice the strategy of “Going Global”. Nowadays, millions of products have been sold in Southeast Asia, Africa, Middle East Country and South America as well as our home market.

Metal industry driving force behind fast growth in dry bulk shipping demand.

According to MarketReportsOnline.com the demand for steel in 2015 will grow at a tremendously fast pace. This fast paced growth will consequently send the dry bulk shipping sector a boost that will drive up the demand growth for that industry. In the research report of 56 pages published by MarketReportsOnline.com it states that Iron ore and coal will be the driving forces behind the anticipated growing demand for dry bulk shipping.

The dry bulk shipping industry is predicted to have a much better year in 2015. Growth rates for the first quarter of this year are expected to be higher than they were in 2014. The global dry bulk shipping industry holds an essential place in maritime transport, carrying large volumes of unpacked products. These products are carried in 20 feet bulk containers, that can carry up to 192 tons of bulk goods.

The latest innovation on these containers, like the one designed by Shanghai Metal Corporation, offer fast and efficient ways to load the bulk goods via the roof and unload through the latch on the bottom of the front door.

Scan the QR code below or follow us on these social media outlets.

By Youssef el Issaoui//SMC Editor

Credits: SMC website, Google Images

L’évolution des réfrigérateurs

L’ancêtre du réfrigérateur moderne est sans nul doute le modèle Monitor Top de General Electric commercialisé en 1927. Pesant plus de 275 livres d’acier, cette bête en acier propulsa l’industrie de la refrigeration domestique vers ses premiers sommets. Ce modèle fut rapidement accompagné d’une extension faite de stainless steel qui permettait la congélation d’aliment. L’acier stainless permettait entre-autre d’éviter la rouille et l’usure du fuselage.

Durant les années 1950, l’industrie du réfrigérateur visa davantage la classe moyenne. Le modèle Northstar fut emblématique de son époque. Pesant plus de 350 livres, ce réfrigérateur était composé d’acier stainless. Il fut également le réfrigérateur qui amorça la tendance decorative des réfrigérateur. Les femmes au foyer pouvaient maintenant choisir la couleur de leur mobilier de cuisine. La tendance vers le recouvrement d’acier inoxidable débuta à cette époque.

Après quelques décennies, arriva les nouveaux modèles des années 1980s. Nouvelle époque, nouveau design. Capitalisant moins sur l’image de fiabilité et de fierté nationale que représentait l’acier, les nouveaux modèles des années 1980 misaient d’avantage sur l’efficacité énergétique et utilitaire. On peut voir ici un des modèles fer de lance de l’époque : un réfrigérateur de marque Fisher and Paykel.

Aujourd’hui les réfrigérateur ne sont plus uniquement des outils de cuisines, mais églament des éléments de decoration. Les modèles aux portes françaises, avec machines à glace ou même fonctionnant à l’aide d’internet ne saissent de repousser les limites de l’imagination. De leurs humbles et frustes débuts, les réfrigérateurs ont su travers les époques poussés par l’esprit innovateurs de leurs concepteurs.

As an international manufacturer and supplier for steel, carbon steel and stainless steel, Shanghai Metal Corporation produces its products to fit your specific industrial requirements. To find out more, please visit our Website or send your inquiry here. Our English speaking personnel will be more than pleased to help you. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code.

Source : http://www.realestate.com.au https://books.google.com

Nicolas D.//SMC Editor

The Evolution of Bridge

The bridge is used to provide a way over an obstacle, such as water, valley or road. Its size differs according to its destination, it can be used to cross a river or even from one city to another. In some cases, it may symbolize an important point in your life. According to Freud, a bridge may symbolize any sort of transition in the dreamer’s life, for example, moving to a foreign country, changing from a job to another, etc. In this article, we are going to focus about the physical-real-life bridge. Let us see how bridges have evolved throughout the human history and how ancient bridges show us that structure theory is not the only vital factor in the realization of building construction.

We can divide the evolution of bridge technology into 2 eras :

1. The Arch Era

The Arch Era goes from 2000 BC until the end if the 18th century. Arc bridges were well developed by the Romans and were for the majority stone arches. The Viaduct in Segovia, for example, is over 2000 years old and is still intact until today.

Roman Viaduct in Segovia

We can also find another example of ancient stone bridge in China. The elegant Zhao Zhou Bridge were built around 600 AD and can still be used until today.

Zhao Zhou Bridge

Another famous ancient bridge still in use today is the Siosepol Bridge in Iran, built during the Safavid Dynasty (around 16th Century).

Siosepol Bridge

These bridges were built before the appearance of structural theory. The ancestors of engineer didn’t use theory to guide their design. The type of bridge structure they used (still used until today) was intuitive and their construction materials were readily available in nature. Stone arches have a very wonderful structures and blend very well into the natural landscape.

2. The Contemporary Era

This modern era goes from the 19th Century until today. The construction of bridge changed after the Industrial Revolution in the 19th Century, with the introduction of steel.

One of the most spectacular early bridge is the Firth of Fourth Bridge in London, built during the end of the 19th Century. Some may not be fond of its structures but it has been successfully serving its objective until now.

Firth of Fourth Bridge

Other steel bridges were built around the same time in the United States, such as, the St. Louis Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge

The improvement of wire technology with steel allowed long span suspension bridges possible. Research in aerodynamics offered a way to design bridges with wind resistant. Some early examples of this type of bridge are the Golden Gate Bridge and the George Washington Bridge. One of the longest one today is the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge.

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge

Another type of Contemporary Era bridge is the cable-stayed bridge. Attempts were not successful before high strength steel was available. Since 1970, many long cable-stayed bridge were completed around the world, such as The Stromsund Bridge in Sweden and the Normandy Bridge in France. One of the newest is the Stonecutters Bridge in Hong Kong, completed in 2009.

Stonecutters Bridge

As we can see from these examples, the availability of construction materials is a dominant factor in the evolution of bridge (stone, steel,…). Bridges are one of the most important infrastructure program in China. Shanghai Metal Corporation supply various steel bridges & steel bridge materials. Check our website if you’re interested other construction materials. You can also send us your inquiry, we have English-speaking that will help you to find the best product for you. Don’t forget to follow us on social media and download an application by scanning QR code below.

Read this article for a more detailed information about the evolution of bridge technology.

Pictures from Google image.

Ayu P.//SMC editor