Top Stories

Chrysler and Daimler Look to Advanced High-Strength Steels for Design of Future Vehicles

Chrysler, Daimler and AISI held a joint press conference on August 22 to announce the results of their most recent project utilizing advanced high-strength steels (AHSS). This is not the first time AISI's Automotive Applications team has worked with each of the Big Three automakers to advance automotive design through the use of AHSS.

The new project utilizes the latest advanced high-strength steels to achieve increased fuel economy while improving passenger protection. The team, which included engineers from members of AISI's Automotive Applications Committee, Chrysler, Mercedes Group Research, and Mercedes Benz Technologies, accomplished its objective by taking a holistic approach to sheet metal structures and applying new engineering computer modeling technology ("topology optimization") to generate efficient energy and load management.

A computer program was used to identify the areas of highest strain in the body-in-white structure and then determine the optimal location of critical load paths to meet predetermined requirements for safety, stiffness and durability. The optimized load paths were then analyzed with respect to new advanced high-strength steel materials. The result is a superior structure which meets or exceeds future safety and performance standards while reducing overall vehicle weight by up to 13 percent compared with vehicles using conventional high-strength steels and design methods.

"Through this joint project, we introduced Chrysler and Daimler to new steel materials that achieve significant mass savings and satisfy tough vehicle requirements," said Ron Krupitzer, AISI's vice president of automotive applications. Chrysler is already using new steel technologies in selected 2008 products, including the new Sebring.

"Over the past years, we have partnered with the engineering teams of key automotive manufacturers to meet their future design challenges through the use of advanced high-strength steels. These partnerships have opened doors and created opportunities that have made AHSS the fastest-growing material in automotive design. We look forward to working with the OEMs on future projects." For more information on AISI's Automotive Applications program, visit www.autosteel.org or contact Deanna Lorincz.

AISI's New Steel Campaign Returns with Launch of New Fall Ad

In time for Congress' return from August recess, AISI introduced a new ad as part of the fall lineup for its New Steel Campaign. The campaign's newest ad, called "Setting the Standard," focuses on the American steel industry's environmental leadership. The ad, which has also been turned into a radio ad, highlights the fact that the American steel industry is ahead of the Kyoto greenhouse emissions goals by 240 percent. In addition, the ad also shows how the industry is developing new innovative technologies to ensure that the North American Steel industry continues to set environmental benchmarks.

"Setting the Standard" makes it clear that the North American steel industry is a world leader but, unfortunately, not all global steelmakers share this commitment. Lax environmental standards are one way some overseas steelmakers aren't shouldering their fair share. It states that "Protecting the Earth is a global responsibility that requires global solutions." Over the past 30 years the North American steel industry has invested more than $60 billion in new technologies; however, not all steelmakers are following suit.

The New Steel Campaign is designed to educate Washington policymakers about the vast improvements in America's steel sector, which is now a modern, clean, high-tech and globally competitive industry. AISI's new print and radio ads can be seen and heard throughout the Washington D.C.-Metropolitan area and online at www.steel.org. For more information, contact Nancy Gravatt.

National Mercury Switch Program Celebrates First-Year Accomplishments

The National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program (NVMSRP) is celebrating its one-year anniversary with the release of the program's Annual Report for 2006-2007. NVMSRP's aim is to facilitate the voluntary removal of mercury switches that can be found in 2002 and older model automobiles, before being recycled, in order to benefit the environment in terms of mercury reduction.

"This is an important environmental issue for our industry," said Jim Schultz, vice president of environment and energy for AISI. "Through our participation as part of the NVMSRP, our industry is able to work to protect the scrap infrastructure from contaminants, such as mercury."

The program is a collaborative partnership of the AISI, Environmental Protection Agency, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Automotive Recyclers Association and the Ecology Center, along with other auto and steel industry and environmental organizations.

The Annual Report explains the importance of the mercury switch program, while at the same time highlighting the accomplishments of the partner organizations during its first year. Since the programs start in August 2006, more than 635,000 mercury switches have been collected by approximately 5,900 participants. As a result, partners of the program have prevented almost 1,400 pounds of mercury from being released into the environment. In addition, mercury switch removal programs are now operational in all 50 states. For more information on the number of switches collected to date, visit www.elvsolutions.org.

Fourteen AISI member companies are active participants in the program and are working to educate and encourage their supply chain to participate. At the same time, the members are taking steps to purchase scrap metal generated from participating dismantlers and recyclers that have removed the mercury-containing switches.

AISI and the other partnering organizations plan to further promote involvement during the second year of the program. The partners will also continue to work with one another to correct any areas of weakness and to improve awareness among the public. The Annual Report and partnership agreement are available for download at www.steel.org. For more information, contact Jim Schultz.

Hot Strip Mill Model Technology Generates Nearly $100,000 in Royalties

The Hot Strip Mill Model (HSMM), one of several successful technologies developed under the AISI/DOE Technology Roadmap Program, is currently in use by 20 companies around the world and has returned nearly $100,000 in royalties to AISI. Licensed to INTEG Process Group, the HSMM is an off-line metallurgical model capable of predicting the thermal evolution, deformation behavior and resulting microstructure of steels being processed in a hot strip mill from the roughing mill to the coiler.

Since its release, INTEG has continued to enhance and improve HSMM technology, growing a long list of satisfied customers. As quoted recently in the American Metal Market, Peter Badgley, Stelco's manager of product development and applications said, "In many instances, in part due to the HSMM, our initial mill development trial process conditions are very close to the final optimized manufacturing conditions, thus dramatically reducing time to market of new products and development costs." Badgley added, "The INTEG HSMM has been used to help successfully develop value-added hot-roll products such as dual-phase and stretch-flange steel for automotive applications as well as new line pipe steels for the oil and gas industry."

To meet the on-going processing needs of steel companies and the ever increasing quality requirements of their customers, INTEG is developing a software module called ROADMAP that will ultimately expand the HSMM capabilities to a real-time, on-line mechanical properties model capable of dynamically optimizing the final product. INTEG reports that interest in the HSMM and ROADMAP is steadily growing. For more information, contact Joe Vehec.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Offers Metal Roofing Training

On September 24, 2007 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College along with the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) launched a short-term training program for local students on the installation of metal roofs. The training is offered as a partnership between the MRA and the community college as part of Project Rebuild, a specialized training program providing individuals skills and preparing them for employment with contractors and construction companies working in the area.

MRA developed this training program through support it receives as a partnering organization in the Gulf Coast Steel Initiative (GCSI), a collective effort of the steel industry to help reshape future construction in the region.

The training program involves 10 days of intensive training with tools and metal roofing materials.

"Our industry is committed to supporting the rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast region. We believe such a training program will increase the pool of skilled workers and bring high paying construction jobs to the region," said Thomas Black, executive director of the Metal Roofing Alliance.

"The metal roof installation curriculum focuses on four metal roofing styles that are commonly found on residential and light commercial roofs," said Black. "Metal roofs survived both hurricanes Rita and Katrina, and the huge demand for re-roofing with metal has in turn created a demand for skilled installers. When we learned about Project Rebuild at MGCCC, we knew this was the right institution to offer the metal roofing training program."

Offered at no cost to students, the metal roof workforce training is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and Mississippi Department of Employment Security as part of the H1B Pathways to Construction grants. Skills include theories, applications, codes and a 10-hour OSHA safety training session. When finished, students will receive OSHA (safety) and MGCCC certificates of training, as well as a Certificate of Qualification from the MRA, which students can present to metal roofing contractors as proof of training.

Building Media Inc. (BMI) produced the metal roof installation curriculum.

The Capitol Line

AISI Awaits Release of Lieberman-Warner Climate Change Legislation…

In early-October, Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-CT)* and John Warner (R-VA) are slated to release the text of their much-anticipated climate change bill, which is expected to call for a 70% reduction in overall U.S. emissions (by 2050) through implementation of a mandatory cap-and-trade program.

The Lieberman-Warner legislation plans to accomplish these reductions by requiring utilities, petroleum refiners, steel producers and other heavy-manufacturing industries to curb their emissions to year 2005 levels by 2012. An additional 10% emissions cut would also be mandated by 2020 to help realize the goal of 70% reduction by mid-century.

AISI and several other Washington-based trade associations believe this bill will be the eventual legislative vehicle chosen by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) for consideration and passage through her committee.

The Institute continues to work with member companies to address the Lieberman-Warner bill and other climate change legislation, which if composed too stringently, could have a devastating impact on domestic steel production, the manufacturing sector, and the U.S. economy in general.

* Denotes Steel Caucus Member

…While Citing Serious Concerns over China’s WTO Non-Compliance…

In response to an August Federal Register Notice issued by the Office of the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) Trade Policy Staff Committee, AISI submitted official comments on the status of the People's Republic of China's compliance with its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations.

The Institute's comments focused specifically on trading rights, export regulation, internal policies affecting trade, intellectual property rights, and other trade commitments while emphasizing how Chinese subsidies, currency manipulation, overcapacity and non-market behaviors are hurting the U.S. manufacturing base as a whole.

In addition, this submission expressed the urgent need for the U.S. government to strictly enforce all U.S. fair trade statutes on record, consider taking WTO action to deal with Chinese subsidies that are prohibited by the WTO, and continue to treat China as a non-market economy (NME) under U.S. antidumping law.

To view AISI's official submission to USTR, please please visit AISI's Public Policy Web site.

…And Alerting U.S. Customs & Border Protection of Potential Concerns with the Quality of Imported Chinese Steel Products

This past month, the Institute also offered a written statement for the record to the U.S. Customs Border Protection's (CBP) Office of International Affairs and Trade Relations, requesting that the quality of imported Chinese steel products be considered during the Bureau's development of a proposed "Import Safety Strategic Framework."

AISI's comments underscored the growing concerns of domestic producers, suppliers and consumers, who are becoming increasingly alarmed by the amount of imported Chinese steel and steel products that fail to meet a wide variety of domestic and international performance standards and specifications.

Several recent news articles were included in the Institute's submission, which indicate that there may be widespread failure on the part of the Chinese to meet applicable safety and performance standards and customer specifications required for safe use in these specific applications.

To view AISI's official submission to CBP, please visit the AISI's Public Policy Web site.

AISI Policy Council Microsite Outranks the Rest

AISI has ranked #1 overall for mid-year rankings on the National Journal's "Policy Council." Last year, AISI's microsite ranked #1 for the entire year, even out ranking sites from the telecomm and financial industries. In addition, AISI's microsite has had over 140,000 page-views since its launch in January 2006. A contributing factor has been visibility gained inside the Beltway from the New Steel Campaign.

The most viewed page on AISI's microsite has been the state maps, which provide Hill staffers with an overview of AISI member steel production in each state and Congressional district. In addition, due to all of the focus around climate change and global warming, AISI's Climate Change priorities is one of the top most viewed pages on the mircosite.

The National Journal's Policy Council provides users with access to thousands of position papers, expert contacts and other policy-related information from its member organizations. More specifically, AISI's individual microsite offers access to pertinent policy information regarding the North American steel industry. For more information, visit AISI's Policy Council microsite or contact Matt Davison.

Check Out AISI's Public Policy Efforts on the Web

AISI's Public Policy Homepage

AISI's Legislative Action Center

National Journal's Policy Council - AISI Micro-Site Homepage

For more information on these websites, contact Matt Davison.

More Stories

2006 Steel Recycling Rate Holds Strong Despite Inventory Crunch

Steel continues to reign as the most recycled material in the world, reaching 68.7 percent in the United States in 2006 reports the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI). This translates into more than 72 million tons of domestic steel scrap going back into the recycling stream, both in the U.S. and abroad, to make new steel products being used by steel industry customers in satisfying consumers' needs.

"Steel continues to be recycled at a higher volume than all other recyclables combined," said Bill Heenan, president of SRI. "As we continue to work with recycling coordinators to increase the flow of steel scrap to meet the demands of the scrap-hungry steel furnaces, the steel industry will continue to benefit from the environmental benefits of recycling steel scrap."

As worldwide production of steel has continued to escalate, so too has the global demand for quality steel scrap. This increased demand has some notable consequences. Prices for steel scrap remain significantly above the historical average price, and as a result, inventories of steel scrap across America are at their lowest levels since World War II.

One thing that will help meet this demand for increased supply is that an increasing number of cities, including New York, Portland, and Seattle, are expanding their curbside recycling programs to include light ferrous (iron) materials, such as toaster ovens, clothes hangers and irons. SRI continues to work with communities to increase the volume of steel being recycled and diverted from landfills.

"We are actively working with recycling coordinators to educate them about the benefits of additional sources of steel scrap in their recycling programs," said Heenan. "At the same time, we are increasing public and institutional education efforts to maximize the volume of steel that they are recycling so it gets back to the mills where it is needed." For more information, contact Jim Woods.

CFA Emergency Pantry Checklist Posted on State Homeland Security Web Sites

The Canned Food Alliance (CFA) has developed a list of canned food items that should be available in every home in case of an emergency. Most Americans aren't prepared for emergencies, and many admit they don't know where to begin. In line with the nation's focus in September as National Preparedness Month, CFA sent the list to state departments of homeland security and Lieutenant Governors to post on their Web sites. The state of Mississippi has already posted the list on its DHS Web site, and other states have indicated interest.

AISI's Summer Safety Campaign also picked up on CFA's work, alerting the national media to the safety benefits of canned food to national media and highlighting the Emergency Pantry Checklist on AISI's Web site. The information appeared in several online publications, including Washington Business Journal, Forbes, Marketwatch and the Los Angeles Times.

"The CFA's Emergency Pantry Chart provides a valuable service for consumers by helping them meet the nutritional needs of their families in their emergency preparation efforts," said Rich Tavoletti, executive director of the Canned Food Alliance. "At the same time, it draws attention to the safety and nutritional benefits of canned food, providing an additional avenue to educate the public, which is a key mission of the Canned Food Alliance." For more information on CFA, visit www.mealtime.org or contact Rich Tavoletti.

Judging a Car by its Cover…From the "Inside Out"

This summer, design and engineering students from the College for Creative Studies (CCS) and University of Michigan (U-M) unveiled their innovative automotive designs as part of the 19th annual AISI summer automotive design internship. This year's internship program focused on the theme of designing from the "Inside Out."

Three design students from CCS were paired with three engineering students from U-M to produce dynamic new concept vehicles inspired by exoskeletons, putting a steel structure on the outside where it is visible and functional. The concept vehicles that were unveiled embody leading-edge steel technology and design elements.

"Inspiration comes in many forms, and each of the models prove that great things can happen with car design by incorporating advanced steel and safety technologies," said Ron Krupitzer, AISI's vice president of automotive applications. "AISI, together with CCS and U-M, is committed to bringing tomorrow's designers and engineers together in order to pioneer new steel ideas for the automotive industry."

Through this program, the design students learned about the concerns of the engineers, and the engineers learned how to support new design ideas. The students participating in this year's program were: Nicolas Ren Stone (CCS) and Alok Pradhan (U-M); Tyler Mars (CCS) and Zoheb Kahn (U-M); and Timothy O'Donnell (CCS) and Jennifer Hoskins (U-M).

Since 1989, the AISI/CCS Summer Internship Program has challenged students to design concept cars with visual appeal directed at a specific theme. The students work towards one basic goal: using advanced steel technologies to design safe, affordable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible vehicles. For more information, contact Deanna Lorincz.

David Dock Joins AISI as Director of Short Span Steel Bridge Program

David A. Dock, P.E., has joined AISI as director of the Short Span Steel Bridge Program to develop and implement strategies aimed at increasing demand for steel in short span bridge applications. Dock has extensive experience working with fabricators, designers and state/federal agency transportation officials to develop economical bridge designs using steel products. Short span bridges, which are typically less than 120 feet in length, make up over two-thirds of America's bridges.

"Dave will fill an important gap in our industry's Market Development Strategic Plan by concentrating on growing the short span bridge segment for steel, which represents a significant opportunity for tonnage growth in the bridge market," said Delbert F. Boring, P.E, AISI's vice president of construction market development. "New steel products and technologies—such as prefabricated short span steel bridges-provide safe, durable, cost-effective, and simple bridge design solutions that can be quickly installed. With his broad range of experience in bridge engineering and design as well as steel product marketing, Dave is the right person to build awareness of steel bridge design solutions for bridge engineers as they tackle the challenge of rebuilding the country's infrastructure."

In addition to his state and federal transportation work on bridge design, Dock has worked with several organizations to develop new steel design criteria, including the American Road and Transportation Builders Association Specification Review Committee and the Transportation Research Board Committee on Steel Bridges and Committee on Construction. He has participated in structural steel-related activities associated with AISI, the American Institute of Steel Construction and ASTM material specifications to improve the efficiency of steel products.

Dock provided engineering and design support for bridge projects for private consulting firms and governmental agencies to develop the most economical steel bridge solutions. In addition, he held senior sales and marketing positions with the former Bethlehem Steel Corporation, leaving in 2003 to become president of Opti-Mate, Inc., which provides quality software for bridge design professionals. He has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana. For more information, contact Dan Snyder.

Nutrition Study Shows Canned Foods Can Help Consumers Make Health Choices

A new study from Rutgers University, funded by the Canned Food Alliance, confirms that America's diet is out of shape. The study, published in the July/Sept. issue of Topics in Clinical Nutrition, summarized peer-reviewed research from 1996 to 2007 on Americans' dietary intake; food choice motivators, eating times and locations; and food preparation habits.

The research showed that people are eating too much fat, calories, added sugar and sodium, and not enough important nutrients such as fiber, vitamin A and calcium. For example, Americans are only getting 77% of the daily value recommended for vitamin A, due in part for not consuming enough fruits, vegetables and milk.

Meal habits and inadequate planning could be a factor of poor dietary intake. One-third of Americans decide what to make for dinner at the last minute and make dinner selections because they require little or no planning.

The purpose of the study was to better understand why Americans eat the way they do and to provide recommendations for how they can achieve a healthier diet by identifying the behaviors and motivators that influence food consumption. As part of the study, a panel of food, culinary and nutrition experts received the research results and developed a list of recommendations for making mealtime decisions.

Knowing that more than two-thirds of Americans aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables, canned food is one way to bridge the nutrient gap within time-constrained lifestyles. Several university studies confirmed that canned fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh and frozen, making them a convenient way for people to start eating more healthfully. Plus, canned foods are easy and accessible for everyone, everywhere, every day and play a crucial role in contributing to the nation's nutrition.

"We already know that canned food brings important nutrients to the table, but to confirm that Americans need convenient options is exciting news for the canned food industry," said Rich Tavoletti, executive director of CFA. "Eating healthfully doesn't have to be hard, and we're glad these recommendations remind consumers healthy eating can be achieved by incorporating convenient and nutritious canned food into meal preparation." For more information, contact Rich Tavoletti.

Insurance Discounts For Home Builders Launched By Steel Framing Alliance

The Steel Framing Alliance (SFA) and Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Gallagher Construction Services), the fourth largest insurance broker worldwide, have launched a comprehensive insurance program that provides U.S. builders on the West Coast who use steel framing with as much as 50 percent discounts on a broad range of insurance products.

"We continue to provide incentives and resources to both homebuilders and home buyers to consider superior alternative construction materials like steel. This new suite of insurance products demonstrates our commitment to the building community," said Larry Williams, president of the Steel Framing Alliance.

The program, called "STEEL Advantage," makes steel framing more competitive with other construction materials. It provides for cold-formed steel-framed construction projects including single-family tract, low-rise multi-family, mid-rise commercial and mixed-use structures. Initially offered only on the West Coast, it will be rolled out in other markets at a later date.

Gallagher has held negotiations with major insurance providers to create a suite of products including General Liability, Workers Compensation, Builders Risk, Commercial Property, and Surety. The new program will include added coverage enhancements, such as Earthquake or Flood, along with premium and rate discounts for volume and/or safety commitments. Gallagher will also provide Subcontractor Certificate Monitoring & Compliance services, contract review, and seminars for mold awareness and prevention.

The STEEL Advantage program will allow Gallagher to provide Zurich's Builders Risk Insurance, an innovative insurance program that recognizes steel framing as superior construction and significantly slashes premiums for steel-framed products when compared to combustible structural framing materials.
For more information on the STEEL Advantage program, visit www.steelframingalliance.com or contact Larry Williams.

International Dialogue on Sheet Mill Operations Continues

AISI's Committee on Sheet Mill Practice and Stahlinstitut VdeH's Flat Rolling Committee convened in Germany September 23-26 to exchange ideas on improving Sheet Mill operations. Last year, the two groups met in the USA.

Mark Wellensiek of ArcelorMittal and chairman of the AISI committee, B V Lakshminarayana of AISI and Michael Degner of VdeH organized the meetings, which featured benchmarking of surface roughness practices and performance and an introduction to online techniques for material properties measurement as the focus areas of discussion.

The group toured some of Europe's top facilities. ThyssenKrupp Stahl (TKS) organized tours of the CSP plant, cold mill and galvanizing line in Bruckhausen and tours of Duisburg Works. TKS graciously hosted a dinner at Schloss Landsberg (Landsberg Castle). Later in the week, the group toured ArcelorMittal Gent Works.

Manufacturing committee activities at AISI and VdeH continue to focus on the pursuit of innovation and the exchange of ideas leading to improved performance. For more information, contact BV Lakshminarayana.

AISI's Bridge Task Force Names 2007 Recipient of Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecture

AISI's Bridge Task Force has named Jennifer Righman McConnell, Ph.D, as the 2007 recipient of the Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecture. The program was instituted in 2005 to honor Robert J. Dexter, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Minnesota. Dexter was an internationally recognized expert on steel fracture and fatigue problems.

The Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecture provides an opportunity for an individual early in his/her career in structural engineering to present his/her research on steel bridge activities to the AISI Bridge Task Force, which is made up of the leading steel bridge experts in the United States

McConnell, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware (UD), presented on the "Rotation Compatibility Approach to Moment Redistribution for Design and Rating of Steel I-Girder Bridges" to the Steel Bridge Task Force.

"Dr. McConnell follows in the proud tradition of Robert Dexter and those who have received this lecture opportunity established in his memory," said Alex Wilson, manager of customer technical services for ArcelorMittal and chairman of AISI's Bridge Task Force. "Though early in her career, she has already made a mark on steel bridge design through her research. We look forward to her future contributions as a member of AISI's Steel Bridge Task Force."

McConnell joined the UD staff in 2005 after completing her doctoral degree with a concentration in structural engineering from West Virginia University. Her research focuses on the inelastic behavior of steel bridges and the blast resistance of bridges and other civil infrastructure systems. Along with her research, McDonnell teaches courses in beginning and advanced steel design and structural analysis.

The first Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecture recipient was Robert J. Connor, assistant professor of civil engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., who has now joined the AISI Bridge Task Force and is working on the AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) specifications for bridge fatigue and fractures. Honorees of the Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecture are selected on an annual basis and chosen based on recommendations from the members of AISI's Bridge Task Force. For more information, contact Dan Snyder.

AISI Releases Suite of Four More Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing ANSI-Approved Standards

AISI's Committee on Framing Standards has gained approval by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and has released a new North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing - Floor and Roof System Design, updated North American editions of its standards on Wall Stud Design and Lateral Design, and an updated edition of its Prescriptive Method. These four documents join the four documents highlighted in last month's newsletter to form a suite of eight state-of-the-art documents that help enable, encourage and sustain the growth of the cold-formed steel structural framing industry.

AISI S210-07 is the designation for the new North American Standard for Cold-
Formed Steel Framing—Floor and Roof System Design. This standard is intended for the design and installation of cold-formed steel framing for floor and roof systems in buildings. The standard provides a methodology for continuously braced design; i.e., considering the structural bracing and/or composite-action contribution of attached sheathing or deck. The standard also includes provisions for clip angle bearing stiffeners, based on a recent testing program at the University of Waterloo.

AISI S211-07 is the new designation for the revised North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing—Wall Stud Design. The referenced document listing was updated, and the standard and commentary were revised for consistency with other standards and research findings, as well as clarity for the users of the document. There were no substantive changes to U.S. provisions.

AISI S213-07 is the new designation for the revised North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing—Lateral Design. Referenced documents were updated and editorial clarifications were made. Substantive changes were made to the standard and commentary, including provisions for other in-plane lateral loads, shear walls with fiberboard sheathing, and special seismic provisions for diagonal strap bracing, forces contributed by masonry and concrete walls and forces contributed by other concrete or masonry construction.

AISI S230-07 is the new designation for the revised Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing—Prescriptive Method for One and Two Family Dwellings. The standard was updated to latest codes and standards, and enhanced in many ways. The allowable number of stories was increased from two to three, and provisions were added for clip angle bearing stiffeners, anchor bolt washers in high wind/seismic areas, gable endwall framing, hip roof framing, single L-headers, inverted L-header assemblies, and grade 50 headers and roof rafters

With these 2007 edition standards completed, the AISI Committee on Framing Standards has shifted into a strategic planning mode to define goals and objectives for the next building code cycle. These standards can be purchased from the Steel Framing Alliance, either online (www.steelframing.org) or by phone (toll-free 1-866-465-4732). For more information, contact Jay Larson.

Ed Wasserman Honored With 2007 Market Development Industry Leadership Award

AISI presented the 2007 Market Development Industry Leadership Award to Ed Wasserman, P.E., director of the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Structures Division, during steel bridge industry meetings held in August in Nashville, Tenn. "We are especially pleased to present this award to Ed in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contributions to the advancement of steel bridge technology," said AISI Senior Vice President of Market Development David C. Jeanes, P.E. "Under his guidance as chairman of the AASHTO T-14 Technical Committee for Structural Steel Design, the AASHTO design specifications for steel bridges have implemented major improvements leading to safe and more cost-effective steel bridge designs."

The award was established by AISI to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions in advancing the competitive use of steel in the marketplace as a direct result of AISI Market Development initiatives in the automotive, construction and container markets.

Chairman of AISI's Steel Bridge Task Force and manager of customer technical service at ArcelorMittal Alex Wilson said: "Under Ed's guidance and support, steel bridge design has benefited from two significant developments-the introduction of the 'unified approach' to bridge design, and the introduction of High-Performance Steels to bridge applications. Both of these accomplishments have significantly changed the way that steel bridges are designed."

The "unified approach" was developed after a multi-year research project championed by Wasserman. Performed at the Federal Highway Administration's Turner Fairbanks Research Laboratories, the research led to a complete overhaul of the AASHTO specifications to simplify the design of straight and curved steel girders, resulting in more cost-effective steel designs.

The High-Performance Steel (HPS) for bridges program resulted from a partnership between AISI, the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Navy to create cost-effective, durable steels for bridge design. HPS bridges can achieve up to 28% weight reduction and up to 18% cost reduction over conventional steels. More than 250 HPS projects are either in construction or in service in 45 states.

The quick progression from concept to application resulted in large part from Wasserman's leadership and contributions toward this effort. The first bridge designed specifically with HPS 70W steel plate was constructed by the Tennessee Department of Transportation in 1998 (the State Route 53 bridge over Martin Creek in Jackson County, Tennessee). Since then, Wasserman has specified 24 additional HPS bridges in Tennessee and has contributed greatly towards educating other bridge engineers on the cost-effective benefits of HPS. For more information on AISI's Bridge Program, visit www.steel.org.

Auto/Steel Partnership Honors Dr. David Cole with Founder’s Award

In recognition of the Auto/Steel Partnership's (A/SP) 20th anniversary, Roger Heimbuch, executive director of the program, presented the prestigious Founder's Award to Dr. David Cole at the 2007 Management Briefing Seminars for his role in the creation of the Auto/Steel Partnership.

The unique Auto/Steel Partnership Founder's Award recognizes Cole's vision and leadership during the mid-1980s to bring the automotive and steel industries together and address common issues that could strengthen both of them.

"Dave was instrumental in getting the automotive and steel industries on the same side of the table to address mutual concerns," said Heimbuch. "Thanks to Dave's pioneering work, the Auto/Steel Partnership has undertaken some challenging projects and has set a new benchmark for cross-industry collaboration over the past 20 years."

Formed in 1987, The Auto/Steel Partnership is a consortium of the AISI Automotive Applications Committee, Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation and is dedicated to ensuring that steel is the competitive material of choice. The Auto/Steel Partnership also works with automakers and steel companies to create new steels and manufacturing processes, as well as research design challenges. For more information, contact Deanna Lorincz.

Wal-Mart Sustainability

For some time, the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) has been participating in Wal-Mart's efforts toward sustainability. Wal-Mart has established a goal, through Lee Scott, their CEO, of reducing their packaging by five percent with a long-term goal of moving towards zero-waste. They have also committed themselves to recycling 100 percent of recyclable products, eliminating materials that cannot be recycled, and instituting recycling programs in their offices, stores, clubs and distribution centers.

As part of this effort, they publish a monthly newsletter titled, "Sustainability -- Wal-Mart Good for America's Communities." In August, the newsletter highlighted the recycling of a variety of products including the recycling leadership position of steel packaging as well as appliance recycling. This newsletter is disseminated to Wal-Mart headquarters employees and is available to all employees across the world through their Extranet. SRI continues to provide Life Cycle information about steel, in the hundreds of thousands of products that contain steel, as Wal-Mart moves towards providing a system where buyers can take into account the environmental impacts of products in their purchasing decisions.

"Although this effort currently is focused on the United States, Wal-Mart's goal is to implement it across their global network, and as a result of steel's leadership position in recyclability we are well positioned to benefit from this initiative," Bill Heenan, president of SRI, said. "Our continued diligence to participate in this effort will directly benefit steel the material and our member companies." For more information, contact Bill Heenan.

AISI Announces Two Staff Promotions

Jennifer Diggins Appointed Vice President, Government Relations

AISI has announced the promotion of Jennifer L. Diggins to the position of vice president of government relations. In this position, Diggins is responsible for advancing the public policy positions of AISI and its member companies, serving as AISI's primary liaison on the Hill.

"This promotion is a testiment to the hard work and dedication that Jennifer has provided us over the past two years," said Andrew G. Sharkey, III, president and CEO of AISI.

Prior to joining AISI as the director of government relations, Diggins served as director of operations for Congressman Rob Simmons from Connecticut's second district. In this position she served as one of the top advisors to the Congressman.

Diggins is a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University where she received a bachelor of arts in Political Science. She continued her studies in Washington, D.C. and earned her Masters in Political Management from The George Washington University. Throughout her education and career, Diggins has been active in campaigns on the state and federal level.

Elizabeth Vago Appointed Senior Director, Communications

AISI has announced the promotion of Elizabeth W. Vago to senior director of communications. In her role, Vago will be responsible for securing AISI's role as the voice of the North American steel industry through its communications, marketing and branding initiatives.

"Liz Vago's promotion gives well-deserved recognition to a talented member of the AISI team who brings strong capabilities in branding, marketing, management of the Institute's annual meeting and general communications services," said Nancy Gravatt, vice president of communications. "Her dual role as creative director for the Institute has served in the development of a clean and distinct look for AISI's overall communications."

Vago joined AISI in 1995 as manager of communications and was promoted a year later to director. Prior to joining AISI, Vago served as director of the Academy of Architecture for Health, a 3,000-member professional interest area of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), where she reported to the Academy's Board of Directors.

Vago graduated from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. with a bachelors of science in marketing management and a bachelors of arts in English.

What's New in the Culinary Classroom: Canned Food Nutrition

Students attending culinary schools now have a new curriculum that explores the nutritional, convenience, versatility and taste of canned food and the package integrity of steel food cans. This year, AISI's Steel Packaging Council (SPC) is meeting with culinary educators to present the new curriculum and to encourage them to use it to reach the next generation of culinary professionals.

To reach the educators, the SPC worked directly with the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) to sponsor CAFÉ conferences and workshops. In August, SPC consultant and Chef Andy Schloss demonstrated one of his original "Dressed to the Nines" salad dressings to the participants, a unique recipe that replaces fatty oils with canned fruits and vegetables. While demonstrating this unique application for canned food, Chef Schloss "educated the educators" about the benefits of working with canned food.

Rich Tavoletti, director of AISI's Container Market Program, said that this strategy is making inroads into the nation's premiere culinary programs.

"So far, the SPC has met with more than 500 culinary educators, and the curriculum has received positive feedback. We anticipate that these educators will reach more than 50,000 students with this material," said Tavoletti. For more information on AISI's foodservice outreach, visit www.steel.org or contact Rich Tavoletti.

Northwest Lineman College Requests Training From AISI

The Northwest Lineman College, one of the largest training facilities for linemen in the U.S., has requested assistance from AISI to construct a steel pole training power line at its campuses in Meridian, Idaho and Oroville, Calif. They also asked AISI to conduct training for students and employees at local electric utility companies. Why? They were increasingly getting inquiries by students to learn about energized work methods.

"We're pleased to help meet this request by the Northwest Lineman College, which will greatly increase awareness of the benefits of installing steel distribution poles among students and electric utility companies," said Delbert F. Boring, AISI's vice president of construction. "We've been focusing our efforts on creating and implementing steel distribution pole training programs across the country, and the results are encouraging."

Earlier this year, AISI released its new Lineman Training Kit that supplements curriculum offered by community colleges providing training to linemen. The kit, which includes student and instructor manuals and a DVD, expands the training opportunities already offered through the AISI Lineman Training Workshop program. Through the program, students, apprentices and instructors learn the basics of steel pole installation and maintenance. The program has introduced over 900 students, 50 instructors and 12 utilities to the benefits of steel poles. For more information on AISI's Steel Utility Pole program, visit www.steel.org or contact Dan Snyder.