Business Topics

Steel prices are falling fast – so fast that I hesitate to put numbers to paper for fear they’ll be old by the time the ink dries.

The Small Business Administration has been a major source of interest over the past 18 months, administering the Payment Protection Program loans that served as a lifeblood for many enterprises to guide them through the pandemic. But the expiration of the PPP does not mean the SBA has run dry as a resource.

The future state of U.S. manufacturing depends substantially on our success in reducing, rather than further increasing, our approximately $800 billion goods trade deficit, excluding petroleum.

One of the highlights of the annual Steel Summit is the appearance of ITR Economics’ Alan Beaulieu. The economist is a fixture at the event, delivering his unpatented mix of helpful advice for business owners in the near-term and harrowing predictions of doom down the road.

A friend of mine shared a story where she brought some important data to light to her C-Suite leaders. She had uncovered some concerning trends and felt compelled to bring up her concerns. However, the response was less than stellar:

Conversations with individuals in the metals supply chain, regardless the product, invariably turn to the supremely tight conditions the transportation network is operating under. Finding an available truck is as difficult as securing hot-rolled coil on the spot market.

Earlier this year, Danny Kerr gave a MetalconLive! presentation titled Attracting and Hiring Rockstar Staff. Kerr is managing partner and founder of Breakthrough Academy, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.

Prices for flat-rolled steel products have been on a relentless uptrend for the past nine months, reaching their highest levels in contemporary history. Steel Market Update reported a new all-time high for hot-rolled coil of $1,500 per ton in the first week of May ...

For many in the distribution industry, the Payment Protection Program administered by the Small Business Administration was a lifeline to rescue them from the worst of the coronavirus-induced recession of 2020. One year on, the loans remain a valuable tool to help businesses navigate the continued challenges that have resulted from COVID-19.

To become a terrific manager, the objective of Mark Ernst’s presentation at the March FMA Virtual Conference, it helps to ask a few questions of yourself.