Today's number: 1.5 million

Metric tons of steel imports to American companies, worth an estimated $800 million, in February, down from 2.2 million tons in January and 3 million tons in February 2002, the Commerce Department said.

The Associated Press

Today's career talk

In The Energy of Money by Maria Nemeth, readers are cautioned about having a preoccupation with failure. It will age you and make you bitter. "Failure-phobia can gobble up all the breathing room for creativity, spontaneity and learning in your life," she says. "The energy cost is tremendous."

John Eckberg

Today's mover

Dan Croft has been named account supervisor at Willow Creative Group. Croft joined the firm in 2001 as account executive. He will manage the Avery Dennison Graphics Division, Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. and Procter & Gamble accounts. He has more than 15 years experience with design and advertising management and client services.

Shirley Dees

Today's money tip

A closed-end fund is said to be selling at a discount if its holdings are worth more than the combined value of its outstanding shares. Shares, which trade like stocks, can then be a genuine bargain. But beware of buying a closed-end fund at a premium, when its shares are priced higher than the value of its holdings.

Amy Higgins

Today's Company: Sweco Inc.

Special Use Equipment: Based in Florence, Sweco manufactures and sells particle separation and particle size reduction (grinding) equipment that is used in the chemical, food and beverage, powder coating, pharmaceutical, plastics, paper, ceramic and laundry industries.

All Over The Map: The company, owned by M-1 LLc in Houston, maintains manufacturing facilities in Florence; Macon, Ga.; Tulsa, Okla.; Belgium and Singapore. It also has a joint venture in Mexico, licensees in Australia and South Africa, and sales offices worldwide.

New Digs: Early this year Sweco opened a $2 million corporate office next to its Florence plant. The new facility contains laboratories, test cells and observation rooms where customers can view tests of Sweco's separation equipment. About 200 people work at the Florence office/manufacturing complex.

Jenny Callison