Community Events
August 25, 2026
Steel Summit: Ryerson CEO sees early-stage reshoring lifting steel demand
Written by Laura Miller
Ryerson’s CEO says US reshoring remains in its early stages, despite rising investment in manufacturing capacity.
Speaking at the SMU Steel Summit 2026 in Atlanta on Tuesday, Eddie Lehner said the company’s AI-developed Ryerson Demand Reshoring Index stands at 72 out of 100. He described that level as expansionary.
“Reshoring is real. I think it’s early,” he told the audience.
In SMU’s Aug. 21 Flat-Rolled Steel Buyers Survey, 39% of participants said they’re seeing evidence of reshoring because of President Trump’s tariffs, while 23% said it’s too early to tell. Still, 38% report seeing no evidence.
Lehner pointed to strong plant construction activity from 2022 to 2025. The next phase will involve installing equipment and recruiting workers. That process could extend the manufacturing investment cycle and lift steel consumption, he noted.
The Ryerson CEO said rebuilding the US industrial base will take time after decades of underinvestment. “It took 50 years to dismantle American manufacturing,” he commented, so it’s going to take some time to rebuild.
He also highlighted growing venture capital interest in manufacturing businesses. He said the funding inflow warrants attention as manufacturers modernize.
