On Monday March 1, 2010, 6:36 am EST

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Commercial Metals Co. plans to exit its joist and deck business through the sale or possible closure of its facilities.
The maker and recycler of steel and metal products said Sunday the weak market for joists has led to unacceptable losses. Demand for joists, used in the construction of homes and other buildings, has slumped along with the housing and commercial real estate industries.
"The outlook for joist consumption in the North American markets is weak," said Chairman, President and CEO Murray R. McClean, in a statement. "This product line has suffered low demand, depressed prices, and shrinking margins...By exiting this business, we believe the capital invested in these operations will be better deployed in our other downstream fabricating operations."
The company said it expects to complete its evaluation of this segment within the next two weeks. It currently expects to book related losses of $35 million to $50 million in its second quarter.

Alternate Joist & Deck Material Suppliers

As CMC will longer be supplying Steel Joist or Steel Deck products, we refer you to the following internet resources for lists of qualified material suppliers:

Steel Joist Institute: http://steeljoist.org/members/members-all

Steel Deck Institute: http://sdi.org/members1.htm

CMC Contact Information

Joist Plant Shipments
CMC-AR 800-643-1577
CMC-FL 800-706-6476
CMC-PA 570-568-6761 

Deck Plant Shipments
South Plainfield & Rock Hill 908-561-3484

Billing - Divisional Accounting Office
Lauren Hill 803-739-8456

Employee Service Information

For information regarding employee service dates and similar information please contact Employee Services Help Desk at: 
e-mail: EmployeeServices@cmc.com 
Phone: (877) 262-8050

CMC Joist & Deck Product Support Team

CMC Joist & Deck Product Support Team is a small team of product specialists commissioned to answer questions, assist with jobsite issues, and assist with evaluating effects of revised design parameters on existing structures containing CMC Joist & Deck product. 
This Product Support Team does not provide engineering services, and will not provide sealed design documents. We work only as product specialist advisors to the Project Structural Engineer of Record. The Project Structural Engineer of Record (SER) has sole responsibility for the structural design of the project and all design documents should bear the seal and signature of the SER.

To contact CMC Joist & Deck Product Support Team:
Phone: 972-308-4137
E-mail: product.support@cmc.com 

CMC Corporate Contact 

Bob Weinhoffer
Commercial Metals Company
6565 N. MacArthur Blvd.
Suite 800
Irving, Texas 75039
Phone: 214.689.4300
Fax: 214.689.5886