Steel Products

Michael Cowden Joins SMU Team
Written by John Packard
December 29, 2020
Steel Market Update is pleased to announce that on Jan. 4, 2021, Michael Cowden will become the newest member of the Steel Market Update team. Michael will join SMU as Senior Editor where he will bring his experience reporting on flat rolled and plate markets, steel pricing, news and steel-related human-interest stories.
“Michael Cowden is well respected within the steel industry,” stated SMU CEO John Packard, “He has a great sense of what active buyers and sellers of steel need to know, a student of the market ever learning, he is an excellent writer, his intellect, work ethic and passion for the industry will add to an already exceptional team at SMU.”
Cowden joins SMU after spending 13 years at American Metal Market (AMM) where he wrote close to 8,000 articles. During his career, he covered flat rolled, long products, steel pipe and tube, as well as aluminum. In his most recent position, he was responsible for Fastmarkets’ daily price indices on flat rolled (HRC).
Prior to joining AMM, Michael held reporting jobs at the Associated Press (AP) in Pittsburgh and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He also has worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press.
Cowden has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Cowden lives in Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
Please join us in welcoming Michael Cowden to Steel Market Update. He can be reached at Michael@SteelMarketUpdate.com

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products
CRU: Excessive global supply could hit rebar mill investments in US
Following the onset of the war in Ukraine in March 2022, concerns about import availability and expectations of rising demand from President Biden’s Infrastructure Bill pushed US rebar prices to record highs. In response, a flurry of new mills and capacity expansions were announced to meet the rise in demand from growth in the construction […]

Steel buyer spirits tempered by soft spot market conditions
Steel sheet buyers report feeling bogged down by the ongoing stresses of stagnant demand, news fatigue, tariff negotiations or implementation timelines, and persistent macroeconomic uncertainty.

CRU: US stainless prices to rise on expanded S232 tariffs
Stainless prices in the US market will rise, following price increases by major US producers. Our base case scenario incorporates higher US prices in the near term, despite the initial negative reaction by the market. US stainless prices will go up in 2025 H2 and will stay elevated in 2026 as tariffs on stainless […]

Galvanized steel demand unsteady amid lingering buyer fatigue: HARDI
Uneven demand for galvanized steel in June reflects a market that remains mired in uncertainty, according to industry sources.

OCTG industry salutes Customs for catching trade crooks
The US OCTG Manufacturers Association is commending US Customs for intercepting another Thai company's attempt to illegally transship Chinese oil pipe to the US.