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    Analysis

    August 28, 2026

    Steel Summit: Tight steel supply raises pressure on service centers

    Written by Laura Miller

    Tight steel availability and lean inventories are increasing pressure on service centers, according to speakers on a service center panel on Wednesday, August 26, at the SMU Steel Summit 2026.

    Thad Solomon, president and CEO of Steel Technologies, said supply has become more constrained. “Availability has tightened quite a bit,” he remarked. “It has definitely added stress into our team … but it’s also been fun to watch how the team responds, meets the challenges and works very well on both ends with mills and customers to keep everything moving.”

    Laura Miller

    Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held various editorial positions with steel industry publications, associations, and mills since 2007. She joined the SMU team in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

    Read more from Laura Miller

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