Steel pipe and tube distributor Van Leeuwen Pipe & Tube Corp. of Houston, which has been operating in the U.S. for 25 years, is being sold by its Dutch parent to pipe, valves and fittings distributor Wilson Industries Inc., also of Houston, a subsidiary of Smith International Inc. Van Leeuwen has branch operations in eight states.

Kobelco Metal Powder of America has increased its steel powder production capacity by 15% to 5,000 tons/month from 4,400 tons/month. The Seymour, Ind., firm makes carbon and low-alloy steel powders used in powder metallurgy and powder forging applications. The largest single market for Kobelco's high-quality powders is the auto industry.

Worthington Industries of Columbus, Ohio, is closing two rolling mills, a cleaning line, a tension leveler, the pickle line and a slitter at its Worthington Steel facility in Malvern, Pa. Malvern will continue to operate its coating lines, which produce nickel and zinc-coated and painted sheet steel products.

Metals service center conglomerate Reliance Steel & Aluminum has purchased East Tennessee Steel Supply, a $6.6 million/year distributor of carbon steel plate, bar and structurals in Morristown, Tenn. East Tennessee Steel Supply now is part of Reliance-owned Siskin Steel & Supply, headquartered in Chattanooga, Tenn. Reliance also has bought steel sheet service centers Viking Materials in Minneapolis and Viking Materials of Illinois in Chicago.

IPSCO Tubulars Inc. is proceeding with a $3.2 million project to enhance its ability to produce heavier and higher-strength oil country tubular goods (OCTG) at its Camanche, Iowa, pipe manufacturing plant. IPSCO Tubulars is a U.S.-based subsidiary of Canadian mini-mill IPSCO Inc. and operates steel pipe mills at Camanche, Blytheville, Ark., and Geneva, Ne