Economy

'Twas Almost Christmas 2016 (A Poem for the Steel & Manufacturing Industries)

Written by John Packard

December 8, 2016

Every year Keith Gunter of McElroy Metal produces a Christmas poem dedicated to recent steel events and wishes for the New Year. Take a moment to enjoy this year’s spin on the old classic, Twas the Night Before Christmas:

T’was almost Christmas,
So time to reflect on the year,
Cost has had its ups and downs,
But has now reached a new gear.

Too many announcements made,
More than one can bear,
Just left my desk for a minute,
And another one was there.

The coke mines were shuttered,
And scrap got too low,
Make things tight and raise the price,
But it hurts demand more than you know.

Folks were all nestled,
Thinking steel projects were put to bed,
Now waking up to wonder,
About alternative materials instead.

Trade suits are in effect,
So much less steel to dump,
And it probably will stay that way,
Now that we have a man named Trump.

So time to bring U.S. capacity up,
To handle the true need,
I hope we can find a balance,
And put an end to all the greed.

We all need to work hard for our customers,
To try and make things right,
Consistent pricing and service,
And with that, to all a good night.

Keith Gunter, Vice President Purchasing, McElroy Metal

John Packard

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