Acquisitions

• Freedom Plastics acquired the assets of Nyloplast America's Preston, Idaho manufacturing facility and Nyloplast's U.S. fabricated fittings business. Terms were undisclosed. Freedom Plastics manufactures PVC and polyethylene pipe and fabricated fittings for markets including sewer and waterworks, plumbing and irrigation. Nyloplast America makes large-diameter PVC fabricated fittings.

• AK Steel completed its purchase of Alpha Tube Corp., and renamed the company AK Tube LLC. AK Steel purchased the assets of the tube company through an auction in federal bankruptcy court. It had been owned by Acme Metals, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1998.

People in the news

• Deacon Industrial Supply Co. (King of Prussia, Pa.) promoted Mark Shorback to manager/industrial sales and appointed him to the executive board. Also, Robert Busch has joined the company as an industrial account manager, servicing the Delaware Valley area.

• Texas Pipe & Supply Co. has announced the following appointments: James Fitzgerald to vice chairman; John Breland to president/CEO; and Arthur Shelton III to executive vice president and chief operating officer.

• Northwest Pipe Co. promoted Charles Koenig to senior vice president and general manager/Water Transmission Group; Terrence Mitchell to senior vice president and general manager/ Tubular Products Group; and Gary Stokes to senior vice president/sales & marketing/Water Transmission Group.

• Denver-based Resource Pipe Co., a master distributor of prime carbon steel pipe, today announced the promotion of Karen Bruggenthies to district manager of the company's headquarters operation in Henderson, a suburb of Denver. Bruggenthies is a five-year employee of Resource Pipe who most recently served as office manager, supervising information systems and inside sales at the Henderson facility.

Supply House Times sends kudos to ...

• Red-White Valve Corp., celebrating its 30th Anniversary. The Red-White Valve line claims to encompass some 98% of the commercial market.

Foreign trade

• Top 10 exporters of pipe and tube to the U.S. through May, according to the Preston Pipe & Tube Report: 1. Canada, 2. Korea, 3. Germany, 4. Mexico, 5. Japan, 6. China, 7. Austria, 8. Italy, 9. United Kingdom, 10. Romania.

Economics

• Economic activity in the manufacturing sector declined for the 12th consecutive month in July while the overall economy grew modestly during the month, say the nation?s top purchasing executives in a monthly survey by the National Association of Purchasing Management. NAPM?s Backlog of Orders Index indicated that order backlogs declined for the 15th consecutive month.

• Portland, Ore.-based Northwest Pipe Co. reported record quarterly sales and gross profits for its Water Transmission Group that supplies large-diameter, high-pressure steel pipe. Its Tubular Products Group, specializing in smaller diameter pipe for construction and other applications, did not fare so well. Second quarter sales dropped from $47.9 million to $36.2 million, although gross margin rose handsomely from $8.3 million last year (22.9% of sales) to $11.3 million (23.6%). CEO Brian Dunham blamed ?aggressive import competition? and ?softer economic conditions? for the sales decline.

• Contracts for manufacturing plant construction inched up 2% in May, although the level continues to be very weak, according to F.W. Dodge.

Crystal ball gazing

• The fuel cell industry will greatly expand during this decade as pressure for new energy sources increases, says business think tank Allied Business Intelligence of Oyster Bay, N.Y. One example of the potential is Fuel Cell Energy?s King County wastewater treatment plant in Washington state, which will use waste gas from water treatment to supply energy for surrounding communities. Fuel cell systems can use natural gas and propane to provide electricity, hot water and space heat to end users ranging from single-family homes to large businesses. California?s current power problems will provide ample opportunities for the fuel cell industry to improve its product.