Steel Products

2022 Tampa Steel Conference: Unique Experience in a Warm Climate

Written by John Packard


The 2022 Tampa Steel Conference agenda and speakers are coming together nicely. Steel Market Update enjoys working with our friends at Port Tampa Bay as we prepare for a unique, fun, quality steel experience in Tampa, Fla., in mid-February. The conference dates are Feb. 14-16, but if you are concerned about conflicts with Valentine’s Day, note that the bulk of the content portion of the event will occur on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 15) and all day on Wednesday. 2022 will be the 33rd edition of the Tampa Steel Conference.

One of the changes being made to the Tampa Steel Conference is it is no longer a regionally focused conference. We will be looking at issues that affect buyers and sellers of flat rolled, long products and plate across the country.

There will be networking opportunities for those who arrive on the 14th as the Port Tampa Bay will conduct a boat tour of the port on Monday afternoon, and we will host a networking/cocktail party that evening at the Marriott Waterstreet Hotel where the conference is based.

On Tuesday morning, there is a golf outing for those interested, and the Port Tampa Bay will once again do a boat tour of the port.

On Tuesday afternoon, we will begin the conference with three special programs:

  • Decarbonization Impact on Commodities & Flow of Materials
    • The world is changing and the focus on decarbonization is already having an impact on the flow of raw materials around the world. It is affecting energy prices/availability and it is impacting the supply chain. This program will focus on the availability of raw materials for steel making, the continued need for integrated steel mills, carbon border adjustment mechanisms on steel and steel-containing goods, and more.
  • Transportation & Supply Chain Issues
    • We all know supply chains around the world are broken. We will deal with ocean freight, port issues, and the movement of metals.
  • Economic Outlook for the Steel Industry
    • Walter Kemmsies, Managing Partner of the Kemmsies Group, will discuss the economy with a special emphasis on infrastructure and what this means for the steel industry over the next few years.

On Tuesday evening, there will be a networking/cocktail party, which has always been one of the highlights of the conference.

On Wednesday, we will have a full program with a special focus on steel (long, flat and plate products).

  • Special Program: The Changing Steel Landscape
    • From new steel mills to anticipated tighter supplies and changing trade regulations, the steel industry is in transition. Paul Lowrey, Managing Director, Steel Research Associates, is well positioned to discuss these changes and what the domestic industry will look like in a few years’ time.
  • Fireside Chat with Lourenco Goncalves, Chairman, President & CEO, Cleveland-Cliffs
    • Cleveland-Cliffs is the largest flat rolled steel producer in the United States. They have just purchased a scrap company in the Midwest, are a producer of DRI, and operate a major mining operation that supplies iron ore pellets to the industry. If you have not heard Mr. Goncalves speak before, you will be impressed with his candor and fresh approach to the industry. At the SMU Steel Summit Conference, he told the attendees that Cliffs would be getting into the scrap business (they subsequently did just that). Who knows what he will say or announce in Tampa? John Packard of Steel Market Update will sit down with Lourenco and have a frank conversation on the topics that will be affecting your businesses in 2022 and beyond.
  • Crossfire Panel on Trade Issues
    • Trade will be a major focus at this conference, and we have assembled the best representatives from both sides of the subject. Speakers include Phil Bell, President of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA); Kevin Dempsey, President & CEO of the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI); Richard Chriss, President of the American Metals Supply Chain Institute (AMSCI); and trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz. They will discuss Section 232, the potential effects of changes in the S232 tariffs with Europe, Antidumping and Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD) and other trade issues that will impact the flow of foreign steel into the United States in 2022.
  • CRU View on Steel Outlook & Price Forecast
    • Josh Spoores, Principal Analyst at CRU, will discuss his outlook for steel (long and flat products) for 2022.
  • Steel Buyers Panel of OEMs and Service Centers
    • This program was well received during the SMU Steel Summit Conference, and we are bringing together an excellent group of companies to address the issues affecting steel buyers in 2022.
  • Analyst vs. Steel Executive – What Will the New Normal Look Like for Steel?
    • Timna Tanners, Managing Director for Wolfe Research, who is famous for her Steelmaggedon forecast while at Bank of America, along with Todd Leebow, CEO of Majestic Steel, will look at the industry from two very different perspectives.
  • Special Program TBA
    • SMU is working on a special program for the trading community. More information will be coming out in the days ahead.

We anticipate the conference will end around 3:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 16.

The costs to attend this event are very reasonable. A full-price ticket is $650 per person. However, if you are an SMU or CRU subscriber, you get a $50 per person discount. If you bring more than one person, whether a subscriber or not, there is an additional $50 per person discount. Finally, if you have previously attended the Tampa Steel Conference or the SMU Steel Summit Conference, you are eligible for a flat rate of $500 per person. Please contact Hayley Ward if you have previously attended either conference; she can take care of your registration. If you have questions about discounts/ticket prices, please reach out to Hayley.Ward@crugroup.com or you can contact conferences@crugroup.com.

You can learn more about the conference and how to register by clicking here or going to https://www.tampasteelconference.com/

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