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AISI Joins American Scrap Coalition

07/07/2008 - The American Iron and Steel Institute joins the American Scrap Coalition to urge strong government action to eliminate the taxes and other market access barriers that numerous offshore governments maintain on their exports of steel scrap.

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has joined the American Scrap Coalition (ASC) in its efforts to urge strong, immediate government action to eliminate the taxes and other market access barriers that numerous offshore governments maintain on their exports of steel scrap.
 

“We support vigorous U.S. and NAFTA government efforts, in the WTO and in bilateral discussions, to eliminate these foreign government export barriers—whether on scrap, coke, iron ore, or ferroalloys.”
 
Andrew G. Sharkey III
AISI President and CEO
“The widespread use of steel scrap export taxes and other barriers initiated by foreign governments is one more important example of the uneven international playing field for steel and U.S. manufacturing in general,” said AISI Chairman Keith E. Busse, who is also Chairman and CEO of Steel Dynamics, Inc. 

 
“These export restrictions by governments act as a significant subsidy for their domestic steel and steel-using industries in those countries that restrict scrap exports,” added Busse. “At the same time, they have the opposite, and very damaging, effect of limiting availability and driving up costs for steel and steel-using industries outside of those countries.”
 
AISI President and CEO Andrew G. Sharkey III noted the importance of steel scrap and of trade policies that support free and fair trade in critical raw materials and minerals.
 
“All of AISI’s producer member companies—whether EAF or integrated—use scrap in varying degrees in the steelmaking process,” said Sharkey. “On policy grounds, AISI strongly agrees with the U.S. government view that foreign government export barriers are a major market access problem of growing importance to U.S. manufacturers—not only for steel, but for our domestic customers as well. We therefore support vigorous U.S. and NAFTA government efforts, in the WTO and in bilateral discussions, to eliminate these foreign government export barriers—whether on scrap, coke, iron ore, or ferroalloys.”
 
AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the material of choice.  AISI plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology.  AISI is comprised of 29 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 138 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry.