Economy

Mill Steel Awards Tax Cut Bonus to Employees
Written by Tim Triplett
February 9, 2018
Mill Steel Co., the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based flat rolled steel distributor, is among a growing list of companies that are sharing a portion of the coming tax windfall with their employees. Mill Steel has awarded a $1,000 bonus to all 400 of its full-time associates as a result of the tax cut passed by Congress that reduces the corporate tax rate beginning this year.
“We would not be where we are today without the dedication of our people. When afforded an opportunity like this, we are delighted to invest back into our hard-working associates. As a result, we anticipate increased efficiencies across all operations,” said David Samrick, Mill Steel CEO and chairman.
“We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude from our associates. It was incredibly rewarding to be able to make so many people happy. Our team is our top priority and they are uniquely committed to the success of Mill Steel,” said Pam Heglund, president of the service center. The company said it will continue to annually assess its compensation and benefit plan.
Americans for Tax Reform is compiling a list of companies—ranging from giants like Walmart and Apple to small mom and pops—that are showing their employees the money. Many are offering one-time cash bonuses like Mill Steel, while others are increasing hourly wages or contributing to employee 401Ks. The boost to the U.S. economy may come sooner rather than later.
“I believe the renewed focus and energy [from this bonus] will pay back in spades. We wanted to see the benefits from the expected performance improvements immediately and enhance our profitability this year,” Samrick said, even though the company won’t feel the full impact of the 2018 tax cut until next year. “This is nothing political. It just seemed like the right thing to do,” he added.
Editor’s note: Readers of Steel Market Update whose companies have also announced tax cut bonuses for employees are encouraged to send a press release or simply a short email to Tim@SteelMarketUpdate.com.

Tim Triplett
Read more from Tim TriplettLatest in Economy

Industry groups praise Senate for passing tax and budget bill
The Steel Manufacturers Association and the American Iron and Steel Institute applauded the tax provisions included in the Senate's tax and budget reconciliation bill.

Chicago PMI dips 0.1 points in June
The Chicago Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) slipped 0.1 points to 40.4 points, in June.

Multi-family pullback drives housing starts to 5-year low in May
US housing starts tumbled in May to a five-year low, according to figures recently released by the US Census Bureau.

Architecture firms still struggling, ABI data shows
Architecture firms reported a modest improvement in billings through May, yet business conditions remained soft, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) release from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.

Manufacturing in New York state contracts again
However, companies are growing more optimistic about the future.