Final Thoughts: S101 edition

My backyard was essentially the powerhouse of Brazil’s steel industry, driven by major players like ArcelorMittal, Gerdau, and, of course, Usiminas. The state is also unique for its large-scale use of charcoal-based iron and steelmaking.

Steelmaking isn’t just something I was surrounded by for my most formative years—18 to be exact. It is something that goes a bit deeper.

It had its genesis in my life about 4,800 miles away in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. In the spring of 1953, my grandfather, Frank J. Schollaert, a graduate of Belmar High School, started working at Pittsburgh Steel’s Allenport Works at the ripe old age of 17.

Pittsburgh Steel would later merge with Wheeling Steel in 1968, becoming Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. My grandfather would go on to work his way up through the ranks until his early retirement in 1983, just before the steelmaker would file its first of many bankruptcy protections due to labor contract disagreements and a pension crisis in 1985.

Fast-forward…

Steel has been directly and indirectly a part of my life. And little did I know that when my wife and I moved to Pittsburgh for a change of scenery nearly two decades ago, a professional pivot would open the door to a fulfilling career in the mining and metals industry.

Aside from a desk job, in what I call “adjacent to the physical market,” where I don’t “touch” the physical market as much as I’d like to, my exposure as a metals buyer and operations manager, has keenly made me aware that some of the offerings SMU has are not only unique, but are also worth more than their weight in steel.

At SMU, we believe much of what we do—originally born out of our founder John Packard’s vision—is to bring the steel community together. From our boots-on-the-ground, buyers’-view reporting of the steel market, to the semi-annual industry meeting places in Tampa, Fla., and Atlanta, the goal is to help equip the flat-rolled steel market.

Another way we do that—and its among our favorites—is to share our passion and knowledge of the industry with newcomers and veterans alike.

And what better way to do that than an intensive and extensive two-day steel training course designed to get some steel DNA into you.

Steel 101 Workshop

This type of training is vital for all in the industry. The most common feedback from our workshop is: “I wish I had this course when I first started in the industry,” And it’s because it can be invaluable for those further down the supply chain, often far removed from the ‘pits’ of a steel mill, but significantly impacted by steel’s many changing characteristics—especially if working with already pre-processed steel.

A major benefit of the class is seeing upstream in the supply chain. Challenges mills face, production processes, and pricing dynamics, and how that cascades its way down.

And for many, even for some like me who have been surrounded by steel one way or another his whole life, the course offers the unique opportunity to see a furnace in person.

A steel mill in all its glory.

Sure, there are photos and videos, but that’s nothing compared to seeing the process up close in real life. Feeling the heat on your face, and the sweat rolling down your back.

In the classroom

But Steel 101 is more than the tour. It’s also two days of immersive classes covering the entire life-cycle of steel—from raw materials to end markets and indexing. The course is geared toward industry veterans who want a refresher on different aspects of the market. It’s also great for newbies in areas like sales, procurement, and marketing who want to dive into all things steel.

Everything from the basics on EAFs and blast furnaces to different grades of steel and steel pricing.

Most come for the molten steel, but all are ultimately forged with market knowledge they can’t get anywhere else quite like this.

Our goal is for you to get the insights and tools you need to navigate the steel industry with confidence.

Steel 101 goes international

SMU regularly puts together training events. And we’re excited to be ‘taking our talents’ to Monterrey, Mexico, for our next Steel 101 Workshop. You can register here.

Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo León, is very similar to Belo (fondly called Beagá by locals), my hometown. Situated in the Sierra Madre Oriental foothills, it’s an industrial hub in northeastern Mexico and home to some very familiar names in steel, manufacturing, and tech like: Ternium, SDI, Nucor, ArcelorMittal, Gerdau, Steelcase, Kloeckner, O’Neal, Leeco, Acero Prime, Worthington, John Deere, GE, Caterpillar, Siemens, Volkswagen, Cummins, KIA, Daimler, Polaris, and Kawasaki, just to name a few.

Monterrey’s manufacturing contributes nearly 25% of the state’s GDP and over 60% of Nuevo León’s exports.

Monterrey workshop

This training course is a unique three-day course (typically a two-day course) with an exclusive mill tour of Ternium’s state-of-the-art world-class complex in Pesquería.

We’re confident you’ll walk away gaining a broader understanding of steelmaking processes, from raw materials to finished product. While we will focus on the entire steel value chain, we’ll also provide a deeper understanding of pricing dynamics, knowledge of trade flows, and market drivers.

Ultimately, you’ll have a stronger ability to speak the language of steel with customers, suppliers, and colleagues.

Let’s not forget direct exposure to Ternium’s cutting-edge operations through a live mill tour and valuable networking with peers from across the steel supply chain.

But wait… there’s more

If you can’t make this one, you’ll have two more opportunities this calendar year.

In May, our Steel 101 Workshop will descend on Corpus Christi, Texas. The workshop will run from May 19-20 and will include an exclusive tour of SDI’s Sinton flat-rolled steel mill.

And then we’ll close out our 2026 workshops on Oct. 13-14. We’ll be in Columbus, Miss., featuring a special tour of SDI Columbus.

You can find more information and details on all our Steel 101 Workshops here.

Hope to see you at one soon!

As always, we appreciate all your support.