Steel Manufacturers Association Names New Board Leaders
01/29/2016 - Commercial Metals Co. senior vice president Tracy Porter has been elected chairman of the U.S.-based Steel Manufacturers Association.
Also, Cascade Steel president Jeff Dyck was elected as first vice chairman, and Gerdau Long Steel North America president Peter Campo was elected as second vice chairman, the association has announced.
The Steel Manufacturers Association primarily represents North American electric arc furnace-based producers. Its 30 member companies account for more than 75 percent of North American steelmaking capacity.
Porter, who succeeds Steel Dynamics Inc.’s Richard Teets Jr. in the role, previously served as the association’s first vice chairman. He has been with Commercial Metals for 19 years and was named senior vice president as well as president of its Americas division in 2010.
“I am excited to work with (SMA President Philip Bell), his team and the SMA membership to confront the challenges that face our industry,” Porter said in a statement. “Success will require our collective efforts to analyze, advocate, and articulate how important a strong domestic steel industry is to the prosperity, security and future of North America.”
The election was held during the first of the board’s three yearly meetings. Members huddled in Florida on 28 and 29 January to set the association’s policy priorities and agenda for the year.
And while the membership is looking into the year ahead, it also took stock of the year that ended.
The consensus?
2015 was one lousy year.
“The U.S. Steel industry remains in crisis mode,” said Bell.
Speaking during a media briefing on 28 January, Bell added that industry is operating under market conditions not seen in more than 15 years.
During the year, producers laid off roughly 12,000 people and either temporarily idled or permanently closed eight to 10 million tons worth of steelmaking capacity.
The problem, he said, as it continues to be, is competition from imports that are being unfairly traded or subsidized. China’s the main culprit, but not the only one. Bell said imports from South Korea, Turkey, Vietnam and Japan, among other places, are contributing.
In spite of stress domestic producers are under, the steel markets are reasonably healthy, the oil and gas sector notwithstanding. And combined with a strong dollar, the North American market is an enticing market to sell into, the association said.
The Steel Manufacturers Association primarily represents North American electric arc furnace-based producers. Its 30 member companies account for more than 75 percent of North American steelmaking capacity.
Porter, who succeeds Steel Dynamics Inc.’s Richard Teets Jr. in the role, previously served as the association’s first vice chairman. He has been with Commercial Metals for 19 years and was named senior vice president as well as president of its Americas division in 2010.
“I am excited to work with (SMA President Philip Bell), his team and the SMA membership to confront the challenges that face our industry,” Porter said in a statement. “Success will require our collective efforts to analyze, advocate, and articulate how important a strong domestic steel industry is to the prosperity, security and future of North America.”
The election was held during the first of the board’s three yearly meetings. Members huddled in Florida on 28 and 29 January to set the association’s policy priorities and agenda for the year.
And while the membership is looking into the year ahead, it also took stock of the year that ended.
The consensus?
2015 was one lousy year.
“The U.S. Steel industry remains in crisis mode,” said Bell.
Speaking during a media briefing on 28 January, Bell added that industry is operating under market conditions not seen in more than 15 years.
During the year, producers laid off roughly 12,000 people and either temporarily idled or permanently closed eight to 10 million tons worth of steelmaking capacity.
The problem, he said, as it continues to be, is competition from imports that are being unfairly traded or subsidized. China’s the main culprit, but not the only one. Bell said imports from South Korea, Turkey, Vietnam and Japan, among other places, are contributing.
In spite of stress domestic producers are under, the steel markets are reasonably healthy, the oil and gas sector notwithstanding. And combined with a strong dollar, the North American market is an enticing market to sell into, the association said.
