Final Thoughts: Contract talks edition

First, congratulations to U.S. Steel for returning the Gary Works No. 14 blast furnace to service after a $350 million upgrade and reline. It’s very cool to see real money being invested in North American manufacturing. It’s also pretty cool that Gary Works has a new lease on life for years to come.

That said, if you’re looking for a deal on steel, this last week wasn’t the one to find one. (Nor was the week before that. Or the week before that.)

Michael Cowden

Michael Cowden is editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. Cowden has covered the steel industry since 2007. He specializes in flat-rolled steel but has also reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube, and aluminum. Before joining SMU, Cowden held reporting jobs at Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago, the Associated Press in Pittsburgh, and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He has also worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press. Cowden has a BA in English from the University of Chicago and an MSJ journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Contact him at michael@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7872.