We are getting a steady stream of calls into our office (all appreciated so don’t stop calling…) regarding our 2nd Annual Steel Market Update Construction & Steel Conference. I will attempt to answer some of those questions here and if you need more information you can contact us at 800-432-3475 or by email at info@steelmarketupdate.com.

Our conference is the highlight of our yearly workshops and conferences. We focus on economic forecasting for 2012 with emphasis on the North American economy and a special focus on steel prices. Registration is now open and below we address some of the issues raised during conversations with prospective attendees:

What is the cost of our conference? $300 per person for those whose company does not pay to receive our Steel Market Update newsletter. If your company is a subscriber to Steel Market Update newsletter you receive a $50 per person discount.

When registering on the METALCON website how do I get my SMU member discount? On the very first page of the METALCON registration form is a section where they ask for a “priority code”. If you contact us at info@steelmarketupdate.com we can advise what our priority code is.

Do I have to pay to get into METALCON? The convention show floor is open to the public at no charge as long as you register by September 27th. Monday is September 26th. You do not need to register for METALCON if you do not wish to visit the convention floor (Tues – Thursday).

Why do I have to go to the METALCON site to register for a SMU conference? For the past two years we have been working in conjunction with METALCON as a way for their attendees to compliment their METALCON experience and for our attendees to add to their educational/networking experience.

Do I have to be interested in the construction industry to attend the SMU conference? Our conference will cover a wide range of topics which impact first and foremost – the steel industry in North America. Construction is a big part of METALCON and we have focused some of our forecast on the construction industry but other segments of the steel market will be discussed.

Who will be attending this year’s conference? Our conference attracts a wide range of attendees from manufacturing companies (both within and outside of the construction markets), service centers, trading companies, steel mills, toll processors and suppliers to the industry as well as members of the financial community (analysts, hedge fund managers, bankers, etc.). Networking is an import part of our conference and the environment is one which should be conducive to meeting new people and developing new relationships.

How do I register for the conference? First, you are welcome to CLICK on THIS LINK and it will take you to the METALCON registration pages. Or, you can go to www.METALCON.com. At the bottom of the first page you will want to put in our “priority code” if your company is a subscriber to SMU. This will adjust the pricing to account for the SMU membership $50 per person discount. On the third page (and they are short pages) you can register for our special program #2 (SP2) which will show as our Construction & Steel Summit conference for Monday, October 10, 2011.

Sophia, Diana and Brett will be in our offices all of this week if you have any questions or need help. They can be reached at 800-432-3475 (706-216-5440) or by email at: info@steelmarketupdate.com.