Steel Markets

SMDI Announces Launch of New Website For Steel in Building Construction
Written by Sandy Williams
September 25, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 24, 2015 – The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), has launched a new website that focuses on using steel for building construction. The new site, located at www.buildusingsteel.org, provides information for engineers, architects, owners, building contractors, code officials and other construction professionals; allows easy access to design resources; directs users to additional steel construction associations with information on cold-formed steel framing, structural steel framing, steel deck, steel joists, metal building systems, and metal roof and wall systems; and provides a tool for users to contact cold-formed steel framing professionals with individual project questions.
“The new website evolved in response to requests from users of www.smdisteel.org for general and technical information focused on building construction,” said Robert J. Wills, P.E., Vice President, Construction Market Development, SMDI. “We also wanted to provide a platform where building professionals could quickly find technical information on a variety of steel construction products from our partner associations.” Wills said that information for other SMDI construction programs such as steel bridges, utility poles and pipe/tank markets is still located at www.smdisteel.org.
The new website, www.buildusingsteel.org, includes these categories:
- About Our Program – Includes information on proposals and positions to advance the steel industry in the construction marketplace under the principles of fairness, transparency and performance; introduces AISI staff and steel construction partners; and provides updated industry news.
- Why Choose Steel – Explores key benefits of steel including durability, strength/resilience, fire safety, product transparency, sustainability, energy efficiency, economic value, and adaptability and reuse.
- Build Using Steel – Provides quick access to information related to cold-formed steel framing, structural steel framing, metal building systems, steel joists, steel deck, and metal roof and wall systems. It also provides links to the steel associations representing these products and their design guides/manuals/aids, research, webinar /seminar schedules and case studies.
- AISI Design Resources – The library of AISI design resources is included here, with information on design guides/manuals/aids and standards, errata, research reports, papers and articles and a publications archive. The Ask an Expert section is included for users to receive personalized responses to their cold-formed steel framing project inquiries.
- Contact Us – Provides access to the Ask an Expert section.
Links to the AISI Steel Store, a steel construction industry calendar, and tweets from the SMDI Twitter account @buildusingsteel are also included. For more information, visit www.buildusingsteel.org.
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 19 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 125 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more information, visit www.steel.org.
SMDI increases and defends the use of steel by developing innovative materials, applications and value-added solutions for customers in the automotive, construction and packaging markets. SMDI investors include: AK Steel Corporation, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, ArcelorMittal USA, Nucor Corporation, SSAB Americas and United States Steel Corporation. For more information on SMDI, visit www.smdisteel.org or follow @SMDISteel on Twitter.
(NOTE: This press release from SMDI was reprinted in its entirety for our reader’s convenience.)
 
			    			
			    		Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Markets
 
		                                AGC Critical of Biden’s New Buy America Guidance
Contrary to the support echoed from domestic iron and steel organizations, the new ‘Buy America’ mandates introduced by the White House have drawn strong criticism from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The association suggests that such measures laid out under the guidance will undermine the nation’s ability to build and improve infrastructure. “AGC […]
 
		                                AGC: Record Job-Openings Curb Construction Employment in March
Construction employment exceeded pre-pandemic levels in just 32 states in March, as record-high job openings held back hiring, said the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) in its latest analysis of federal employment data. “Contractors have been adding workers as fast as they can find them,” said Ken Simonson, AGC’s chief economist. “But there just […]
 
		                                Toyota Cuts April Production on Chip, Parts Shortage
Toyota North America has slashed its April production by an estimated 47,000 vehicles, with more reductions in May still possible due to the prolonged global microchip and parts shortage, a company spokesperson told Steel Market Update (SMU). “Toyota’s North American plants continue to face intermittent production delays due to supply chain disruptions,” she said. “We […]
 
		                                North American Auto Assemblies Accelerate in March
North American auto assemblies grew by 18.1% in March, expanding for the third straight month despite ongoing supply hurdles. Though North American production has improved since last December, March’s recovery was just 1% higher year on year. And it’s still 13.5% below the pre-pandemic period of March 2019. At the onset of 2022, the global auto […]
 
		                                US Light Vehicle Sales Fall in March
US light vehicle sales fell to 1.26 million units in March, down 22% year on year. The annualized selling rate declined to 13.332 million units from 14.071 million units the month prior, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported. Interest rates are rising. But that’s probably not what’s holding sales back. It is supply rather […]
