Features

Nucor's Topalian named vice chair of worldsteel
Written by Ethan Bernard
October 15, 2024
Nucor’s top executive Leon Topalian has been elected vice chair of the World Steel Association (worldsteel) for the 2024-25 time period.
Topalian, the chair, president, and CEO of the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker, will hold the position for one year.
A spokeswoman for Nucor celebrated the news in a statement to SMU.
“As North America’s largest steel producer, Nucor is proud to represent the American steel industry on the worldsteel executive board,” she said.
She noted Topalian looks forward to staying on the executive board as vice chair, having just completed a one-year term as chair.
“Worldsteel provides an important forum for global steelmakers to discuss issues impacting our industry, including trade and decarbonization, as well as sharing best practices in areas such as safety performance and sustainability,” she added.
Members of worldsteel represent ~85% of global steel production. The association maintains relationships with many international organizations, including the United Nations and the OECD.
On Tuesday, Worldsteel also named the following officers elected to serve for the next year:
- Chair – Thachat Viswanath Narendran – CEO and managing director, India-based Tata Steel
- Vice-Chair – Uğur Dalbeler – CEO, Turkey-based Çolakoğlu Metalurji A.Ş.
- Treasurer – Mark Vassella, managing director and CEO, Australia-based BlueScope Steel Limited
- Chair of worldstainless – Akihiko Inoue, representative director and president, Tokyo-based Nippon Steel Stainless Steel Corp.
Additionally, U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt was elected to the 2024-25 executive committee, worldsteel said.
For US companies, worldsteel also welcomed Beaumont, Texas-based Optimus Steel LLC as a regular member. CEO Luis Barrenechea will serve as the company’s representative at worldsteel. Optimus makes wire rod, straight plus coiled rebar, and billets at its Beaumont facility.

Ethan Bernard
Read more from Ethan BernardLatest in Features

President Trump’s tariff letters maintain ‘Sectoral Tariffs’
Form letters sent to Japan and South Korea’s leaders stating that US President Donald Trump plans to apply 25% tariffs on goods from each nation beginning on Aug. 1 are not applicable to steel or aluminum imports.

AISI: US steel mill production remains elevated
Domestic steel mill output inched higher last week, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Raw production remains historically strong and has been growing steadily since April.

Final Thoughts
I’m not sure how many different ways I can write that it’s been a quiet market ahead of Independence Day. There are variations on that theme. I’ve heard everything from the ominous “eerily quiet” to "getting better" and even the occasional “blissfully unaware” (because I’m enjoying my vacation).

SMU’s Week in Review: June 30-July 3
It will be a shorter week as the United States celebrates Independence Day on Friday. But we won’t leave you high and dry.

Steel groups welcome passage of budget bill
Steel trade groups praised the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) in Congress on Thursday.