Market Segment
April 6, 2026
Written by Michael Cowden
At least two major US plate producers – SSAB Americas and Nucor – plan to increase plate prices by at least $60 per short ton (st).
Algoma Steel has secured a contract to supply up to 24,000 metric tons of structural steel plate for Seaspan Shipyards’ Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker program. The agreement, valued at about $182 million Canadian, covers steel for up to six multi-purpose icebreakers, at ~4,000 metric tons per vessel. Algoma will produce the plate, with Stigterstaal Canada serving as the marine steel processing and distribution partner. The order is the largest polar-class steel order in Algoma’s history, according to the companies.
US steel shipments fell in September from the previous month but increased marginally on-year. Domestic mills shipped 8,047,607 short tons (st) in September, according to the latest figures from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). That’s down 2.1% from the 8,220,554 st shipped in August, but up slightly from 8,032,536 st in September 2025. Year-to-date (YTD) shipments through September stood at 72,014,802 st, up 4.8% vs. 68,732,750 st in the same period last year.
Worthington Steel Chief Executive Geoff Gilmore said this is the toughest steel market he's seen in his nearly three decades in the industry. Gilmore, president and CEO of Columbus, Ohio-based Worthington Steel, recently spoke to SMU about the progression of the company’s acquisition of Germany-based Kloeckner & Co, as well as trends he’s seeing in the market and in the service center space. “I've been in the business for 28 years, and this is the toughest market that I've encountered,” Gilmore told SMU. He cited factors such as stretched lead times, mill consolidation, maintenance outages, and very limited imports affecting availability.
Ternium SA expects a modest seasonal decline in consolidated steel shipments in the fourth quarter, but sees Mexico revenue per ton continuing to rise with North American steel price trends. The outlook came as the company released its third-quarter earnings report and prepares to start steel shop production at its new Pesqueria slab mill in February. “We are seeing a strong demand in Mexico … strong demand in the US,” CEO Maximo Vedoya said on a conference call on Wednesday to discuss the quarterly earnings. Ternium reported Q3’26 net income of $368 million, compared with $465 million in Q2’26 and a $270-million loss in Q3’25.
The Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) and the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) have weighed in on yesterday’s midterm elections that saw Democrats gain control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. “Last night's elections delivered historic gains for Democrats in Congress,” SMA EVP Brandon Farris said in a statement to SMU on Wednesday. “Thankfully, a strong American steel industry transcends party lines." He said SMA's mission remains clear. It includes defending “the policies that have helped drive historic investment, strengthen American manufacturing, secure reliable and affordable energy, and ensure domestic steelmakers can compete on a level playing field.”