Magazine Issue: April 2012

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Cover Story

Columns

• Full of Scrap: Unexpectedly mild weather blindsides industry gurus

  In a frenzy:  Scrap players had to make peace with not knowing what the next month, or week, would bring as long as winter remained at bay.

• Parting Shots: Candidates must embrace solutions or step aside

  Two classes of action would boost the economy and manufacturing: Lift the yoke of excessive regulation, and face up to the growing outsize deficit.

From the Editor

• AMM COMMENT:  You’ve got to ask yourself one question

  Other than the cowboy, there may not be a symbol that more powerfully evokes the American ideals of autonomy and individualism than the automobile. Those icons came together at halftime during the Super Bowl, when Chrysler aired an ad featuring Clint Eastwood. Before delving further into the ad, its fallout and what it says about the short-term fortunes of the automotive metals sector, some context is needed.

Features

• Steel players trying to construct an optimistic '12 outlook

  Renewed strength in the energy and transportation sectors may trigger a rebound in U.S. steel consumption this year, but with exceptions.

• Domestic markets buy ferrous scrap by the numbers

  The trend toward more obsolete ferrous scrap grades has reflected systemic changes in supply, exports and imports, melt mixes and competition, which have occurred during one of the most dramatic decades in the history of the industry.

• AMM Awards: 2012 Steel Tube and Pipe Excellence Winners

  Ten awards recognizing advancements rooted in technology, customer service, logistics and other practices were presented to those whose efforts stood apart from their peers in 2011.

• Taking turns: Metals will share the auto supply chain

  Aluminum and high-strength steel will dominate the auto sector as the car of the future—whether gasoline or diesel—is likely to be made of both metals.  The challenge is to work with fabricators and automakers to enable the supply chain and the assembly process to work.

• Galvanized steel sector gains economic strength

  Galvanized sheet’s biggest North American market is automotive, which accounts for about 40 percent of consumption.  Construction, steel service centers, appliances and the electric industry account for the rest of the industry’s improving annual production.

• Service centers expect to see continued consolidation

  A steadily improving economy and other factors are expected to contribute to an environment that will favor more M&A activity.