Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) has proposed a major investment at its Heartland Division flat-rolled steel processing operations in Terre Haute, Ind., company President and CEO Mark Millett told Steel Market Update. The cost of the planned expansion – a 390,000-square-foot addition that would increase the facility’s footprint by 50% – is estimated at $231 million and would include enhancements to […]
We talk a lot about the price of steel going up. We don’t talk as much about spreads between hot-rolled coil and prime scrap – which are going up just as fast if not faster. And if you’ve listened to earnings calls over the last two weeks, you know that steel mills and industry analysts […]
On Monday, Aug. 2, Steel Market Update will open the 2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference platform to all fully registered attendees. The platform, which was used to conduct last year’s conference and is being used for our virtual workshops, is replacing the App we have used in the past. Our virtual platform will enhance the conference […]
Steel lobbying groups cheered a procedural move advancing a bipartisan infrastructure bill through the Senate. The 67-32 vote does not mean the bill has passed. But it clears a key hurdle on the way toward turning a potentially $1 trillion bill, including $550 billion on steel-intensive infrastructure, into law. Congress – both the House and the Senate – have […]
2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference – Revised Agenda as of July 27, 2021 The 2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center on Aug. 23-25. The convention center is conveniently located next to the Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The center and the hotels surrounding the convention center are on […]
Steel Market Update is pleased to announce that Bernard Swiecki of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) will be the featured speaker for our next SMU Community Chat Webinar on Wednesday, July 28, at 11 a.m. ET. Swiecki serves as director of research at CAR as well as director of the Automotive Communities Partnership (ACP). He […]
The latest SMU Market Survey results are now available on our website to all Premium members. After logging in at SteelMarketUpdate.com, visit the Analysis tab and look under the “Survey Results” section for “Latest Survey Results.” The historical survey results presentations also are available in the Survey Results section for “Survey Results History.” If you […]
Flat-rolled steel prices continue to shoot upward – with no signs of the summer doldrums, the chip shortage or fears of a correction blunting their momentum. U.S hot-rolled rolled coil prices now stand at $1,850 per ton ($92.50 per cwt), up $30 per ton from a week ago. Cold-rolled coil and galvanized base prices notched similar […]
Mark Millett, CEO of Steel Dynamics, had some interesting comments in this morning’s earnings conference call with analysts. Based on his comments, the domestic steel industry is capable of producing 90-95 million tons of steel annually. The demand for steel is closer to 120 million tons; in extremely strong markets in the past it has […]
Steel Market Update does not forecast steel prices. That’s a fact that can sometimes get lost in all the pricing data we publish. Please don’t let the good news and happy headlines you’ve been reading in SMU every week make you complacent. It’s convenient to listen to the many readers quoted in this newsletter who […]
One of the products developed by Steel Market Update over the past four years is our flat rolled and plate steel service center inventories and shipment analysis. I discussed it briefly in Thursday’s newsletter, but I want to go into more detail as I believe it is a report that many of you will want […]
General Motors and Stellantis have extended downtime at some of their North American plants into August because of the ongoing chip shortage. The latest development means all Detroit-area “Big Three” automakers will be grappling with shortages of semiconductors and other parts into next month. Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford – the crosstown rival of GM and Stellantis […]
Much like Steel Market Update, Michael Smerconish is not about taking sides, but rather is about expanding the conversation. “Our mission is to create a clearinghouse for non-ideological thinking. We want to give people a chance to contribute to, and consume, information that isn’t predicated on the usual, extreme talking points of the polarized media. […]
In less than two months, we’ll be in Atlanta for the 11th Annual SMU Steel Summit Conference. From the beginning, this conference has been an opportunity to gather, learn and meet up with other steel industry colleagues. The growth and popularity of the conference is a testament to the incredible value of meeting, mingling, discussing and learning together. […]
The latest SMU Market Survey results are now available on our website to all Premium members. After logging in at SteelMarketUpdate.com, visit the Analysis tab and look under the “Survey Results” section for “Latest Survey Results.” The historical survey results presentations also are available in the Survey Results section for “Survey Results History.” If you […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) has delayed the start-up of the hot end of its new steel mill in Sinton, Texas, to the fourth quarter, the company’s top executive said. The move was necessary because of severe rain over the last 4-6 weeks, something that was amplified by recent flooding in the region, SDI Chairman, President […]
You may be tired of reading about it, but there is no ignoring the question: When will hot rolled coil prices finally peak? So many livelihoods depend on the answer. Unfortunately, Steel Market Update steel survey data clearly shows that no one knows. Roughly one-third of those polled this week believe hot rolled steel prices […]
Learn how to build and execute your company’s risk strategy. Would you like to take control of the price risk in your steel business in these uncertain times? With wild swings in steel prices now the norm rather than the exception, Steel Market Update, in conjunction with CRU and the CME Group, are here to help. […]
Square Peg in a Round Hole? As we move about speaking to steel buyers, I get the impression they want to live by the rules of the market that have been in place for most of the last 30+ years. Flat rolled and plate steel buyers believe world steel prices will ultimately impact U.S. steel […]
SMU found no evidence of a summer lull in our latest check of the market. Sheet prices were flat or up in a post-holiday period that in prior years has seen them slip. Hot-rolled coil and cold-rolled coil prices were unchanged. Galvanized and Galvalume prices were up $25 per ton and $50 per ton, respectively. […]
Interesting comments received earlier this week from a steel executive whom I know well, and I respect his opinions. The topic of the day was one that I know drives the steel mills crazy – steel analysts’ price projections. Many of the analysts are calling for prices to peak within the next 60 days (in […]
The 2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference is seven weeks away and the SMU and CRU events teams are fully focused on making this year’s event one to remember. As always, the place to be on Aug. 23-25 will be the Georgia International Convention Center, which is located right next to the Atlanta International Airport (ATL). […]
The 2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference is seven weeks away and the SMU and CRU events teams are fully focused on making this year’s event one to remember. As always, the place to be on Aug. 23-25 will be the Georgia International Convention Center, which is located right next to the Atlanta International Airport (ATL). […]
The dilemma is global warming, CO2 is just the proxy, Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. President and CEO Lourenco Goncalves said during the opening keynote speech at CRU’s Steel Decarbonization Strategies 2021 Virtual Conference. Cliffs’ top executive took a strong stance during his talk—which opened the first major event devoted exclusively to the topic of decarbonization in the […]
As we return to offices and in-person contact after more than a year of pandemic-induced anxiety, it is important to recognize the young people within your organization who stand out as the next generation of leaders. These are young people who already know how to inspire others, to lead by example, and to develop innovative […]
The deadline to nominate a promising young standout from your organization for this year’s SMU NexGen Leadership Award is Friday, July 16. You can recognize those 35 years or younger whose drive, determination and leadership are making a difference by nominating them for the 2021 SMU NexGen Leadership Award this week. The award is sponsored by the […]
Once Produced…Can We Even Get It Shipped? Transportation issues continue to plague the flat-rolled and plate steel markets. It’s bad enough that many steel mills are running one to four weeks late against their original promise date. We are hearing once the steel is produced it can take days to weeks of waiting for a […]
I’ve noticed an increased focus on international issues reflecting moral and political subjects as opposed to economic ones, although these have been with us for a long time. Economists call this “virtue signaling.” The American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) published an article on the subject a few years ago, defining “virtue signaling” as “the […]
Let’s talk about flat rolled and plate steel mill lead times. Because the results from our latest steel market survey caught my attention. This is the first time in since January-February that you can maybe discern a potential peak in pricing – at least judging by that metric. Lead Times: Trend or Head Fake I’m […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) is making repairs after an unplanned outage at an electric-arc furnace (EAF) at its flat-rolled steel mill in Columbus, Miss., according the company’s top executive. The outage, which occurred last weekend, is expected to result in approximately 10 days of lost production, or about 25,000-30,000 tons of hot metal, SDI President […]