Foundry Market China boasts the largest number of foundry enterprises in the world, with the total in excess of 26,000 companies, and an annual output that has been ranked No.1 in the world since 2000, this includes 22.42 million tons in 2004 and 24.42 million tons in 2005. China’s annual output contributes up 25% of the world total and plays a very important role in the casting chain as the biggest casting production country. After a market survey of suppliers and purchasers, the next conference hosted by SC and CFSU will be held at Shanghaimart in Shanghai on March 21 – 22, 2008. Address: 2299 Yan'an Road (West), Shanghai, P. R. China, 200336 Website:http:// www.Shanghaimart.com Last Review The inaugural Global Foundry Conference was held at the Qingdao Grand Regency Hotel, 13-14 Sep, 2007. The conference featured 260 participants including 40 buyers and 220 suppliers from America, Canada, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Serbia and Japan. They come to China to source various castings materials and related products. All the suppliers have their own factories on the Chinese mainland. Meanwhile, over 90% suppliers have passed one or more of the international quality certifications standards. Conference Characteristics (1) Specialty Focusing on foundry fields; (2) Internationalism The buyers are mainly from North America, West Europe, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and domestic manufacturers requiring large procurement etc. Most of the suppliers will have their own factories on their countries. (3) Pertinence At the request of buyers, SC will invite appropriate suppliers or assigned suppliers buyers and assist buyers with forming business partnerships 60 days before the conference; (4) Reliability All the information on suppliers and buyers will be strictly examined by SC; (5) Feasibility of trade agreements Purchase discussion, purchase explanation and the products promotion conference will help facilitate an understanding between buyers and suppliers, the goal of the trade agreement will then be realized; (6) Business opportunities receiving a copy of China’s Casting Guide free of charge, including detailed information on foundry suppliers’ primary products, supply direction, annual production amounts and annual export values which will be vital for casting buyers. Foundry buyers will find Time-saving; $$ savings of purchasing costs from direct manufacturers; More qualified suppliers and better delivery times to select from; First-hand information on foundry trends; The best platform for purchasing; Free of charge browsing database on China suppliers. Foundry buyers Are free to join database of foundry buyers and can be assisted by SC with browsing, selecting, contacting and purchasing from suppliers in China. Participation in the conference allows you to negotiate with more qualified suppliers and receive the “Buyer Guide” free of charge; $50US for each buyer attending the conference includes registration fee, a full set of conference materials and a conference lunch. Participation in the exhibition allows for the purchasing of samples and drawings and direct communication with the suppliers. SC will be responsible for recommending suitable suppliers 60 days before the conference. $200US for each booth (3M2), includes a two-person registration fee, a full set of conference materials and a conference lunch. Make purchase explanation. SC will release purchasing information on over 50 media, chosen suitable suppliers, providing further communications on a 365-day trail service. $150US for each buyer’s 25- minute presentation includes a two-person registration fee, a full set of conference materials and the conference lunch. Suppliers’ Products Castings: steel casting, iron casting, precision casting, alloy die-casting, ductile cast iron, low-pressure casting, metal casting, auto parts & accessories, pump and valve casting, ferrous casting, pipeline casting, grey iron castings, pressing, nodular iron casting and forgings. Related casting equipment die-casting equipment, casting machinery, apparatus, materials, processing control, test, simulation and software, etc.

The newly approved Labor Contract Law will not undermine the investment environment although it will better protect workers' interests and rights, China's top trade union body said yesterday. Liu Jichen, director of the law department at the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, denied that the law - which goes into force from January 1 next year - is biased toward employees. "It not only protects workers' interests and rights, but also equally protects employers'," he told a press conference.

   The law, passed on Friday by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, had raised concerns that stricter contract requirements could raise business costs and give companies less flexibility to hire and fire employees. Liu, however, said that the law takes into account employers' interests. For example, he said, employers can sign non-competition contracts with workers, with a non-competition period of not more than two years to encourage innovation and ensure fair competition. So an employer can rest assured that an employee does not walk out at the end of the contract period and join a direct competitor. It also softens the terms under which employers can cut staff - if an enterprise switches to other production, adopts a major technological innovation or changes its mode of business. Liu stressed that the law will help create a harmonious labor relationship. "Labor protection is a worldwide trend," he said. "With working conditions improved and rights protected, employees will feel more secure, which leads to a higher productivity." Liu pointed out most labor disputes result from violations of workers' rights. Because of the huge supply of labor force, workers are in a disadvantaged position, he said. Liu said the federation has succeeded in keeping most of the items on protecting workers' rights and interests in the law. For example, the law makes mandatory the use of written contracts and strongly discourages fixed- or short-term contracts. It also stipulates severance be paid if a fixed-term contract expires but is not renewed without an appropriate reason.

   The law requires all employers to submit proposed workplace rules or changes for discussion to the workers' congress - concerning pay, work allotment, hours, insurance, safety, holidays and training. Employers and trade unions will then jointly decide on workplace agreements The National Bureau of Statistics and BP launched China Energy Statistical Yearbook 2006 and BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2007 in Beijing yesterday. This is the third consecutive year for BP and a key Chinese government department to jointly launch an energy statistics publication. The China Energy Statistical Yearbook 2006 covers domestic energy data, up to 2005-end, including energy infrastructure development, energy production, national energy balance sheet, energy consumption and regional energy balance sheet. Data from BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2007 show 2006 was another year of high, volatile energy prices. But despite the high prices, world energy consumption growth remained above average, continuing the trend of recent years.

 By Guan Xiaofeng (China Daily) Updated: 2007-07-03 08:25

By Fred White( from ThomasNet) Raw materials prices continue to cut into profits with little relief in sight. If prices continue to rise and solutions to these problems go unaddressed and worsen, they cannot help but undermine the future health of U.S. manufacturing. If they haven't already, manufacturers might want to brace themselves for more steep cost hikes. AMR Research and The Manufacturing Institute's May-released "The Hidden Backbone of U.S. Manufacturing: Weakening Under Chemical Cost and Supply Pressures"report, from research based on a survey of 165 manufacturers, gauged "the importance of the chemical infrastructure to U.S. manufacturing as a whole, manufacturers' expectations for chemical supplies cost and availability in the future, and the alternate sourcing plans, if any, they have to respond to the problem." The Manufacturing Institute is the research and education arm of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). In the report, 90 percent of the 165 respondents said they are experiencing chemical cost increases, including 62 percent who say the increases are substantial. Moreover, the survey specifically found:

• Overall, 55 percent have significant, direct dependence on chemicals for their production.

• Forty-three (43) percent or companies survey see domestic chemical capacity decreasing, against only 20 percent that see it increasing.

• Half the companies surveyed say they cannot replace these materials with any substitutes, while 40 percent say it is possible - but expensive - to find replacements.

• On average, manufacturers will shift 25 percent of production abroad if chemical issues of pricing and supply are not solved. This could cause a ripple effect from large companies down to small companies as plants close or are downsized and as local suppliers lose their large company customers. The reason for all this is rising raw materials prices, and manufacturers continue to grapple with what seems to be a never-ending trend. Domestic chemical supplies are a vital raw material to most manufacturers, of course, but the gloomy picture of raw materials extends beyond chemicals. For one, metals prices continue to increase. IndustryWeek this week points to the following numbers:

• Copper is hovering near $7,000 per metric ton - compared with about $1,500 per metric ton in 2003;

• Zinc, steel and nickel, among other metals, have also risen substantially;

• “Platinum prices rose 14 percent in 2006 over the previous year," according to catalyst manufacturer Johnson Matthey, "partly due to an increase in demand for use in light-duty diesel vehicle autocatalysts"; and

• Tin's price may continue to rise. There is some potential good news, though. Commodity prices may be at or near their peak, Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI chief economist Dan Meckstroth tells IndustryWeek. Although nickel, tin and uranium may not yet be at a peak (the reason being unprecedented demand from China, which is sucking up all kinds of raw materials and then manufacturing products and shipping them elsewhere, including back to the U.S., Europe and Japan), copper has fallen from its May 2006 high of $8,800 per metric ton, and "steel also has likely reached its peak price," according to Meckstroth. If your company's products use these metals and other key costly materials, here are a few ideas of ways to cope (via IndustryWeek):

• Buy in bulk.

• Adopt long-term process, engineering and supply chain strategies.

• Substitute lower price elements for higher price metals.

• Reduce the proportion of higher price commodities.

• Involve the supplier to help develop new products.

• Integrate or co-locate several plants allowing waste streams at one plant to serve as fuel for another facility.

• Develop alternative raw materials.

• Persuade the federal government to loosen restrictions on exploration to create more supply. Today's increasingly global supply chain has brought U.S. manufacturing into ever closer contact and partnership with producers around the world. The AMR-NAM research indicates that "U.S. manufacturing will be competitively disadvantaged because of a cost-driven domestic chemical industry abroad," which supplies a massive amount of raw materials to so many sectors. If prices for raw materials continue to rise and solutions to these problems go unaddressed and worsen, they cannot help but undermine the future health of U.S. manufacturing. Clearly, it is not only chemical manufacturers whose business is at stake, but also the thousands of companies that use their chemicals to make everyday products, technologies, pharmaceuticals and auto parts. As the report's authors note: "Weakness in this critical link will compromise the entire domestic supply chain."

Since July 1th,2007,tax rebate policy will take effect.Most parts are reduced by 2/3 in tax refund. But we will keep all prices same.Furthermore, parts over 50T/year can enjoy 5% discount.

China goverment has announced that the new tax rebate will be taken effect from July 1th, 2007. Most goods are effected by this policy. China intends to curb the overhit exporting activity to build a energy-efficient country. This policy will force most factories to raise price to face this challenge.