Final Thoughts

I always learn new things every time I attend an industry related conference. I find being exposed to industry experts, active steel buyers in one location (with very few to no suppliers around), business owners who feel comfortable in their surroundings, and a few cocktails thrown into the mix, makes for interesting times. I highly recommend that you attend your specific industry conferences (as well as the SMU Steel Summit Conference in September) if you would like to learn something new about your industry, customers or suppliers.

I learned that part of the surge in galvanized imports that we saw in October and November was due to companies protecting themselves against the rumored flat rolled dumping suits which circulated the industry over the summer months. Many of the larger wholesalers and manufacturing companies who are associated with HARDI told SMU that they have protected themselves by buying foreign steel to last them into March and in some cases as far out as May 2015.