SMU is honored to help the flat-rolled steel community connect with our unique, collaborative network of industry experts.
Forge new connections and drive your business forward.
SMU launched its “SMU Community Chat” webinar series in April 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak. The idea: To bring in experts to discuss subjects of importance to the steel community we serve. These webinars are typically hosted every other Wednesday at 11 am Eastern Time.
We allot 45 minutes so you can tune in, learn something, and still stay on top of your day-to-day responsibilities. It’s also a good way for you and your employees to remain connected to the rest of the industry.
The webinars are free of charge and hosted on Zoom. We provide the subject matter a week or two prior to the meeting. This allows you time to prepare questions for the live Q&A portion of the webinar.
Please send your suggestions for content and speakers to info@steelmarketupdate.com.
July 9, 2025
11 am ET
Thais Terzian and Frank Nikolic
Analysts
CRU
July 23, 2025
11 am ET
Tom Derry
CEO
ISM
Stat tuned
for future SMU
Community Chats
Ken Simonson, chief economist for The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), was the featured speaker on SMU’s recent Community Chat webinar. We had a lot to talk about because construction is at the intersection of so many of today’s hot-button issues. The main question: Will construction thrive or dive in the rest of ’25? […]
Timna Tanners, managing director of equity research for Wolfe Research, was the featured speaker on SMU’s recent Community Chat webinar. Tanners has coined the terms “Sheet Storm”, “Galv Galore”, and “Rebarmageddon”. Her forecasts and insights are always thought provoking. And she’s not afraid to speak her mind, so it’s no surprise that she’s always one […]
Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries, as the featured speaker on SMU’s recent Community Chat webinar. Zekelman is known for his straight talk. And his company is one of the largest steel buyers in North America. So he’s got a better eye than most on steel market developments. What we talked about […]
Gabriella Vagnni and Greg Wittbecker of CRU were the featured speakers on SMU’s recent Community Chat. Tariffs, sanctions, and embargoes, oh my! And they’re hitting aluminum just as hard as steel. This special Community Chat focused on the impact of Trump’s trade policies on the aluminum market. We brought you expertise from Aluminum Market Update […]
Brent Wilson, CEO of Bilstein Cold Rolled Steel, was the featured speaker on SMU’s recent Community Chat webinar. About Bilstein and Wilson Bilstein Cold Rolled Steel makes cold-rolled steel strip for a range of applications – everything from automotive and construction products to tools. It’s a subsidiary of Hagen, Germany-based Bilstein Group, a family company […]
Michael Garcia, CEO of Algoma Steel, was the featured speaker on SMU’s recent Community Chat webinar. As a key Canadian flat-rolled steel producer and supplier to the US, Algoma offered valuable insight into the evolving tariff landscape — its challenges and opportunities. During the chat, we discussed trends in the North American sheet and plate […]
Alan Price, partner and international trade co-chair at Wiley, was the featured speaker on SMU’s recent Community Chat webinar. Wonder what the fallout from all the Trump tariffs might be? A manufacturing renaissance? A post-WWII order in ashes? Or something a little more down the middle? What we talked about This reboot of Section 232 […]
The Association of Women in the Metal Industries (AWMI) Pittsburgh Chapter joined featured speakers Gabriella Vagnini and Greg Wittbecker on SMU’s recent Community Chat webinar. It’s been an eventful (and chaotic) start to the year for steel and aluminum as industry tries to navigate the new Trump administration. What we talked about We discussed what […]
Josh Spoores, head of steel analysis – Americas at CRU, was the featured speaker on SMU’s recent Community Chat webinar. What we talked about We talked about how trade protections – whether that’s Section 232, blanket tariffs, or the coated AD/CVD trade case – might impact prices. We also discussed how new capacity might impact […]
