AK Steel: Counting on UHSS Advantage as Steel Capacity Increases

AK Steel is not too worried about new steel capacity stealing market share. New carbon steel capacity coming on line is still several years away, said President and COO Kirk Reich. Much of it is not “new” but rather older restarted facilities that AK Steel competed with in the past, and some of that capacity will produce bar, rod, long products, tubular and plate products that do not impact AK’s markets. There are no new or restarted capacity additions in the areas of stainless or high-end electrical steels, said Reich during the company’s quarterly conference call.

Facilities that are planning to produce flat-rolled carbon products are primarily aimed at the construction and spot markets. Those planning to expand into automotive OEMs will need to compete with AK Steel’s high-end steels.