Features

Steel veteran Larry Romboski passes away at age 60
Written by Ethan Bernard
December 19, 2024
Steel industry veteran Lawrence D. ‘Larry’ Romboski, Jr. has died at the age of 60.
Romboski passed away peacefully in Cranberry Township, Pa., on Dec. 13 after a 10-month battle with pancreatic cancer, according to his official obituary.
His career in steel spanned 35 years. It began in 1989 at Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel in West Virginia. He had plans to retire this year from NLMK, where he held the role of VP of sales for the last 25 years.
Romboski is survived by his wife Rosemary, mother Joanne Romboski, sisters Joyce McKnight (Chris) and Lynn Messman (Chris), nieces Macy, Lindsay, Alexis McKnight, Molly Messman, Alivia Sanvito-Miller (Tyler), Ava Harkins, Abby Mikulich and nephews Michael Messman (Sarah), Max and Ryan Harkins.
Memorial donations in Larry’s name can be made to Hope Haven Farm Sanctuary: Hopehavenfarm.org.

Ethan Bernard
Read more from Ethan BernardLatest in Features

Final Thoughts
Tariff-related noise aside, there is one basic factor keeping buyers on the sidelines. Despite recent declines, HR prices remain at historically high levels. And there is no obvious support to keep them there.

Get an inside look at steelmaking at SMU’s Steel 101 workshop
If you’re looking to build a solid foundation in steel or sharpen the knowledge you already have, the SMU Steel 101 Workshop is a great place to start. Our next workshop will be held in Memphis, Tenn. on June 10-11, 2025

AISI: Raw steel production climbs to 7-month high
US steel mills produced more raw steel last week than they have over the past seven months, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Final Thoughts
United Airlines raised eyebrows earlier this month when it provided two forecasts for 2025 – one assuming a relatively stable economy and another assuming a recession. The reason? Uncertainty around the impact of President Trump’s policy shocks on the broader economy. And it sometimes feels like we’re seeing a battle between those two narratives (stable vs recession) play out within in the pages of this newsletter.

Price: Expect new trade shocks as Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ tariff negotiations continue
President Trump cast a wide net with the proposed, reciprocal tariffs. The negotiating stage will be critical to determining the success of his strategy. And for those suffering tariff whiplash, don’t expect the pace of change to slow down just because the reciprocal tariffs are entering a negotiating phase.