President Clinton signed a law authorizing a $1.5 billion loan program for steel, oil and natural gas companies that have been hard-hit by depressed prices.

Robert J. Weller is the new vice president/business development for Matco-Norca Inc.

Asahi/America announced a merger agreement with Midnight Acquisition Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Organic Chemicals Industry Co.

A new e-commerce Web site allows plant managers to order MRO materials over the Internet whenever they are needed.

A study indicates that, while cost efficiencies are still a high priority with procurement professionals, an inability or unwillingness to effectively use new technology has resulted in a stall in achieving those goals.

The online marketplace MetalSite announced eight new sellers, all service centers. The company also announced that initial testing of a steel-products catalog was successful.

PVF master distributor Ta Chen plans to appeal a July decision by the Department of Commerce to impose a 32% antidumping margin on welded stainless-steel pipe imported from Taiwan between June 22, 1992, and Nov. 30, 1994.

The American Pipe Fittings Association will hold its fall meeting Sept. 12-14 at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington.

I.D. One elected its board of directors for the upcoming year at a shareholder meeting in Chicago.

Canadian master distributor M.A. Stewart & Sons has established an office and warehouse in Charlotte, N.C. The facility will function as a master distributor of commercial and industrial valves for all industries.