Marubeni-Itochu Steel to Build New Steel Framing Plant in Eastern USA

Japanese major steel trading firm, Marubeni-Itochu Steel announced on Wednesday the wholly owned US subsidiary, ClarkWestern Building Systems based in Ohio builds new steel framing plant in Bristol, Connecticut for US$ 10 million. The firm starts operation of the new plant with around 23,000 square meters of floor space in September 2007. ClarkWestern, which produces steel framing products at 8 plants in USA, decided to build new plant to improve the supply ability to users around New York and New England area, which are the largest consuming area in USA. The firm expanded the operations to 8 plants through expansion and acquisition to cover all areas in USA compared with 3 plants in October 2001. The firm tries to consolidate the foothold as US no.2 supplier through the new plant in North Eastern area, where the demand is estimated to be annual 440,000 tonnes, to cover all consuming areas in USA. ClarkWestern is new company after Clark Steel Framing and Western Metal Lath merged on January 1, 2007. The firm with US$ 8.6 million of capital has 903 employees.