Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
June 30, 2022
I’m not gone yet… 61 days to go.
First, thank you for all the kind phone calls, notes, posts on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc., regarding the announcement of my upcoming retirement at the end of August. I truly appreciate the comments made, and I look forward to seeing many of you at the 2022 SMU Steel Summit Conference in Atlanta.
Between now and the end of August, I intend to pen several articles on factors affecting the steel industry and ultimately steel prices. We are living in dynamic times for the industry as steel mills make moves to modernize, decarbonize, and adjust their focus on what the industry will look like in the years to come.
I also intend on writing a few articles about the path I took that led me and Steel Market Update to this point.
Steel Market Update is well-positioned to continue to be a solid source of information, education, and a benchmark for the industry without me leading the charge. SMU will continue to evolve to properly cover an industry that is evolving as well. I encourage you to engage with Michael Cowden, Brett Linton, David Schollaert, Laura Miller, and the soon-to-be-named new team member who will be joining SMU in July. You will be able to meet them at this year’s SMU Steel Summit Conference on August 22-24. I will be at the conference as well as I take my last bow and past the baton to my successor.
Speaking of the conference, we have passed through 800 registered executives heading toward 900 and ultimately well over a thousand. Over the past few days, we have added the following companies (those with an * means there is more than one individual registered from that company): ADM Investor Services, Berg Steel Pipe Corp.*, Borusan Mannesmann Pipe US Inc.*, Helmer Scientific, Jemison Metals*, JSW Steel USA, Metal Master*, Misetal*, P&S Transportation Inc., Schaeffler Group USA Inc., Tubular USA, Valmont, Vest Inc., Wastequip LLC, Welser Profile Austria GmbH*, PTC Alliance. You can view a full list of attending companies by clicking here. You can register for the conference by clicking here.
Nominations for the SMU NexGen Leadership Award will soon close. We have room for more nominations, and I highly encourage you to recognize your high achievers who are 35 or younger by nominating them for this prestigious industry award. You can learn more about the award, how to make a nomination (self-nominations are also accepted), an example of what a well-received nomination looks like, discounts nominees will get to attend this year’s conference, what the winner will receive, and more information about the award by clicking here.
SMU has started a youth-focused organization called the NEXGEN Metals Community. This is a free organization whose focus is on attracting and keeping young people in the metals industries. The organization is free and will host its first in-person meeting during the SMU Steel Summit Conference in Atlanta. You do not have to be a registered attendee of the conference to attend NEXGEN Metals Community events. You can learn more about the organization, its benefits, and how to join by clicking here.
For those of you located in the United States please enjoy the long 4th of July holiday weekend.
As always, your business is truly appreciated by all of us associated with Steel Market Update.
John Packard, Founder
John Packard
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Final Thoughts
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Final Thoughts
I want to draw your attention to SMU’s monthly scrap market survey. It’s a premium feature that complements our long-running steel market survey. We’ve been running our scrap survey since late January. And over just that short time, it’s become a valuable way not only for us to assess where scrap prices might go but also to quantify some of the “fuzzy” indicators - like sentiment and flows - that help to put the price in context.
Final Thoughts
I think there is an obvious case for sheet and plate prices going higher from here. That’s because, on a very basic level, the floor for flat-rolled steel prices, which is typically provided by imports, is now significantly higher than it was a week ago.
Final Thoughts
We're about to hit 50% Section 232 steel tariffs. What could happen?
Final Thoughts
With higher tariff rates on steel and aluminum set to go into effect on Wednesday, June 4, a new round of chaos across the supply chain is likely in store. Expect a significant impact on manufacturers and metal fabricators. But even before the latest round of Trump-tariff whiplash on Friday evening, there was a lot of interesting data coming out of SMU's steel-market survey.