Economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in January for the 32nd consecutive month, according to the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business.

McJunkin Corp. announced that it has selected enterprise data solutions provider Silver Creek Systems to improve its product data quality and usability for customers across many industries.

North American spending for the industrial manufacturing industry almost doubled in 2005, when compared to 2004, according to Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources Inc. Houston, TX).

Maverick Tube Corp. reported 2005 sales increased to $1.8 billion from $1.3 billion the prior year, including results from the acquisition of South America's Tubos del Caribe. Net income for the year dropped by $21.5 million to $172.3 million.

Lincoln Supply LLC is a new PVF member of supplyFORCE. The company is a third-generation, family-owned wholesale distributor serving the New Jersey and Pennsylvania areas since 1932.

China's crude steel production last year approached 350 million tons and the country's share of world total output rose from just over 26% in 2004 to almost 31% in 2005, according to MEPS International Steel Review (www.meps.co.uk).

Victaulic released its new general product catalog, G-103. It has been redesigned to provide technical and dimensional data for all non-fire protection products.

Red Man Pipe & Supply received a special “Outstanding Effort” Award from Kerr-McGee in recognition of the company's extraordinary support during the Gulf Coast hurricanes of 2005.

Economic growth in the United States will continue in 2006 and manufacturing expectations remain at a relatively high level, say the nation's purchasing and supply management executives in their 70th Semiannual Economic Forecast. The forecast was issued in mid-December by the Business Survey Committee of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).

Under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that revoking the existing antidumping duty orders on forged stainless steel flanges from India and Taiwan would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.