Steel Products

Don’t Miss the Pre-Conference Workshops in Atlanta This Summer

May 5, 2021

As the days pass, more people get vaccinated and business begins to return to normal after a year of dealing with the pandemic. We are looking forward to being together in person this summer on Aug. 23-25 in Atlanta for the 11th Annual SMU Steel Summit Conference. Many of you are planning your trip down to Georgia now, so we wanted to share our special pre-conference workshop highlights, so you can plan to arrive in time to attend beginning Monday morning.

This year we’ll have a strong pre-conference lineup with workshops presented by Reibus, CME Group and Crowe. Each workshop will run for 45 minutes with a short break in between. All workshops will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Reibus will present a workshop titled, “Technology is Here to Stay.” They’ll discuss in a broad scope how technology has changed our lives, then dial down into which industries are using technology for big wins and how the steel industry can learn from these practices. The panel will give a nod to the future and look ahead to where technology can take us both personally and professionally as we move forward into this new decade. This workshop, moderated by John Armstrong, CEO of Reibus, is sure to be a lively kickoff to the Steel Summit Conference.

CME Group will present a Steel Futures Showcase this year, focusing on managing the recent volatility in the steel market. This showcase will include a panel of companies that have used the futures market to manage price risk as part of their overall strategy during these turbulent times. They will discuss which price risk management tools are available and how to implement them, as well as cover futures pricing for products up to a year out.

On the CME Group Panel, you’ll hear from industry companies on how these tools, and the growth of new risk management products, can be used to create price stability for suppliers or manufacturers of steel products. The panel will also discuss the benefits and pitfalls of trading in the futures market. Panelists will include Chris Shipp from Priefert Steel and Manufacturing and executives from Flack Global Metals.

Crowe’s workshop will present a retrospective on how the steel industry’s views of and investments in technology have changed over the last decade. The panel will discuss specific steel company examples of how technology has transformed operations, customer services, and other critical areas of the business. Crowe’s annual Technology in Metals Survey is a great source of information to learn how your industry peers are planning for and using technology. Panelists will share their perspectives on technology opportunities, risks and lessons learned.

We hope you’ll arrive on Sunday evening or early Monday morning so you can join us. When you do arrive, it’s a quick and easy four-minute free ride on the train just steps from the airport exit, right to the GICC and airport hotels.

Click here for more information on the SMU Steel Summit Conference.

Click here to register.

We’re working hard to present an educational and entertaining program in a safe environment. We look forward to seeing you this summer!