Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
December 11, 2017
I have been working on our new service center months of supply report and I hope to have it to the distributors who provide the data tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec. 13). I will then publish for our Executive newsletter readers on Thursday evening. I continue to entertain adding more service centers to the mix as we strive to provide the highest quality product possible. Right now we have 42 service centers participating and I would like to double that number if at all possible.
If your company would be interested in providing data to Steel Market Update on a strictly confidential basis, please contact me at: John@SteelMarketUpdate.com
We are quickly approaching the end of 2017 and I want to make sure that I thank all of our readers, all of the people who attended our workshops and our Steel Summit Conference, for believing in us and helping us to grow. Some of you may not realize that SMU does not have a sales force. We do not even have a sales person. We started with a “Field of Dreams” mentality. I have believed since the very beginning that if I spent my time and energy creating the best product possible, you would come. Our customers sell our products for us. Our results sell our products. The fact that we are constantly investing in our business helps us sell our products. I want to thank each of you for taking time to tell your suppliers, customers and friends in the industry about Steel Market Update. I also want to remind you that my kids may be grown, but they are millennials and that means they still need new shoes…(those that have been with me for a long time know what that means).
I am taking my first “real” vacation since before I started SMU in 2008. I am leaving on Sunday, Dec. 17, and I am not returning until Friday, Dec. 29. Being a work-a-holic and having access to email, I will probably stick my fingers in the pie early next week. However, since SMU employees tend to follow my lead (thus they work too much) I have decided to force all of them to take a week’s vacation. SMU offices will be closed at the end of business on the 22nd of December and will not reopen until the 2nd of January. We will check messages over this time period (best bet, send email to info@SteelMarketUpdate.com as that goes to multiiple people including myself).
If you need to pay a bill – hey, we are open through the 22nd…!
If you want to become a new customer and take advantage of any special deals or beat any price increases, we will honor those deals and pricing on Jan. 2, as well as for the balance of this week and next.
I want to take a moment and wish our Jewish friends a joyous and peaceful first day of Hanukkah.
As always, your business is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.
John Packard, Publisher
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Cliffs came tantalizing close to buying U.S. Steel in 2023. There were rumors in 2024 that Cliffs might buy NLMK USA before it ultimately purchased Stelco for $2.5 billion in November of last year. Who would have thought that asset sales would have been the focal point of discussion just six months later?
Final Thoughts
Given the news about tariffs and bringing back industries to the US, a brief look back in time may show how our economy changes with technological advances and the shifting economies of scale.
Final Thoughts
We’ve talked about tariffs ad nauseam for much of the year. And I’m afraid this topic isn’t going away anytime soon. There’s a feeling that the tariff “can” will just be kicked down the road again and again, and again.
Final Thoughts
Can technology help with pig iron and DRI/HBI tariffs?
Final Thoughts
Tariff-related noise aside, there is one basic factor keeping buyers on the sidelines. Despite recent declines, HR prices remain at historically high levels. And there is no obvious support to keep them there.