Final Thoughts

Final thoughts
Written by Brett Linton & Ethan Bernard
May 9, 2024
Last week we wrote about a brief lull in price movement, labeling it a period of wait and see.
It did, in fact, turn out to be pretty brief. This week… things are little bit different. Perhaps right now, following a price decrease that was not priced in to the market, we are more in a period of “hope and pray” or “Here we go, hold on to your hats.”
When things get volatile, especially in prices, it’s often best to return to something solid. Go back to basics, the foundations you can count on. Ground yourself, get earthy, etc.
Coincidentally, this week’s crossword highlights just such a theme: raw materials. From scrap to coal, prepare to roll up your sleeves and dig in.
Note, we’ll be doing a steel-themed crossword every Thursday leading up to our Steel 101 course on June 11-12 in Fort Wayne, Ind. The course includes a tour of SDI Butler, an EAF sheet mill.
Another feature we’ll be introducing is “This week in steel history.” Our inaugural entry is below. If there are any key events in steel that you’d like to highlight, let us know at info@steelmarketupdate.com.
This week in steel history:
The first commercially successful Bessemer steel furnace in the US began operation on May 8, 1864, in Wyandotte, Mich., at the Eureka Iron Co.
Bessemer furnaces were gradually phased out in favor of blast furnaces, with the last US Bessemer furnace decommissioned in 1968.
For any of our veteran readers with great Bessemer yarns, feel free to pass them our way!
Crossword
Click here to attempt this week’s crossword.


Brett Linton
Read more from Brett Linton
Ethan Bernard
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