Improvements in steel manufacturing processes have yielded advancements in the purity of steel that, in turn, yield higher-quality end-use products.

Tata Steel and thyssenkrupp AG signed a definitive agreement to create a new company by combining their European steel businesses in a 50/50 joint venture. This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2017. The proposed new company, to be named thyssenkrupp Tata Steel B.V., will be positioned as a leading pan-European high-quality flat-steel producer. The joint venture will be managed as one integrated business through a holding company headquartered in the Amsterdam region of the Netherlands.

As we approach back-to-school season, thoughts naturally turn to education. As usual, I perused a number of resources as I prepared this column.