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    Market Segment

    October 6, 2019

    New Mill Capacity and Equipment Update

    Written by John Packard

    With U.S. Steel buying almost 50 percent of Big River Steel and holding an option on the remainder over the next four years, SMU thought it an appropriate time to review the list of announced changes being made by the mills in the United States, Canada and Mexico. We reviewed this listing with the four mills who spoke on the subject at the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference in order to make sure we were not double counting or missing items.

    The key for flat rolled buyers (and consumers) is the total tonnage of new flat rolled capacity (melt) being added to the market. Most likely there will be corresponding old capacity that will no longer be justified. With the move by U.S. Steel, that scenario became even more likely in the years ahead.

    John Packard

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