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Top Stories

AISI Unveils Public Policy Web Site Re-Design
A Message to AISI Members from AISI President and CEO Tom Gibson
AISI Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Annual Summer Internship
SFA Welcomes Mark Nowak as Acting President
AISI Receives Collaborative Research Grants

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Capitol Line

• House of Representatives Allow Offshore Drilling Ban to Expire
• AISI Submits Comments to U.S. Trade Representative
• AISI Launches Policy Web Site Re-Design
• Check Out AISI's Public Policy Efforts on the Web

AISI Market Development Progress Report Receives More Recognition
SFA Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary
Rutgers University Study Explores Convenience and Nutrition at Mealtime
Publications Highlight Steel Recycling and Its Benefits
FeMET Initiative's Design and Curriculum Grants Awarded
Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance Launches New Web Site
SFA Launches New Insurance Program
Orlando Adds Aerosol Cans to Curbside Recycling Program
AISI's Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) Offers Strategic Customer Solutions
AISI Welcomes Ingrid Impink

AISI Unveils Public Policy Web Site Re-Design

AISI has launched a re-design of the public policy section of its Web site (www.steel.org). The new design provides relevant information in a more easily-accessible manner for those Web site visitors interested in the policy positions of the American steel industry.

"With AISI increasingly focusing its efforts in the public policy arena, we felt that this was the time to take our public policy site to the next level," said Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO, AISI. "We want visitors to use our site as a resource for the most up-to-date, pertinent policy information related to the domestic steel industry and believe that we have achieved this goal through the site's re-design."

The site now provides a new section titled "Policy Resources" where visitors can go to view AISI policy analysis, steel fact sheets, AISI testimony, AISI-supported legislation, and other important resources related to the policy positions of the industry. In addition, the new site highlights the "Take Action" feature where visitors can participate in grassroots-level activities, such as contacting their elected officials, review issues, legislation and a comprehensive election guide.

One notable change to the site is that AISI's policy agenda can now be viewed by individual policy issue, making it more user-friendly. AISI has also utilized images and facts from its successful New Steel Campaign to highlight important messages about the steel industry. This includes highlighting the industry's "Clean Little Secret" - the domestic steel industry is one of the most energy efficient steel industries in the world, voluntarily reducing its energy usage by 29 percent since 1990 and that steel is the most recycled material in the world. To view the new site, click here. For more information, contact David Ziemba.

A Message to AISI Members from AISI President and CEO Tom Gibson:

"With major financial, energy and climate policy issues before us and a presidential election right around the corner, I am pleased to be joining AISI at this critical time.

I look forward to bringing my government and industry experience to bear as the Institute intensifies its policy-focused mission on behalf of its members.

The North American steel industry has a tremendous record of innovation and achievement, and AISI's work has a solid reputation, something that had impressed me even before coming here. I look forward to bringing the industry's impressive story to decision makers at all levels of government as we advance our advocacy agenda.

I am committed to working tirelessly, with your support, to advance the North American steel industry's position as an innovative, competitive, technologically-advanced and environmentally-progressive industry."

AISI Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Annual Summer Internship

AISI joined College for Creative Studies (CCS) students in celebrating the 20th anniversary of AISI's annual automotive design internship program during the CCS design students' unveiling of their "Green Steel" concepts vehicles in Detroit on September 18, 2008.

"The internship program presents a great opportunity for design students to work on real-world challenges facing the automotive industry today," said Ronald Krupitzer, vice president of automotive applications for AISI. "Utilizing the benefits of advanced high-strength steels, the students created unique designs without compromising visual appeal, while gaining a personal understanding of environmental, safety, recyclability and cost issues."

This year's group of CCS design students was challenged with conceptualizing, rendering and designing environmentally-friendly vehicles for a mega-city transportation network for the year 2040. Students created a city grid system that was divided into three tiers of transportation, including: the underground superhighway that regulates traffic coming in, out and through the city; the traffic tier, where fully-automated vehicles commute through a steel sub-tunnel; and the pedestrian tier that is separated from traffic, to eliminate the risk of accidents.

The student-created concept vehicles that were unveiled at the "Green Steel" event include:

• Lincoln Continental, designed by Milton Ruiz, Ann Arbor, Mich.—An electric, two-passenger, cab-like vehicle that features limousine-like luxuries and incorporates high-end technologies, allowing vehicle-to-vehicle communication and the ability to capture images and identify passengers.
  
  
• Mazda Hyoryu, designed by Jesse Boyer, Port Sanilac, Mich.—An electric vehicle for the daily commuter that has the ability to drive itself. The design is inspired by wind, snow drifts and smoke, symbolizing a person with an active lifestyle.
  
  
• Mitsubishi Synthesis, designed by Dave Owsen, Harper Woods, Mich.—An automated, easy-to-maintain-and-disassemble-traveling "entertainment center" of the future that bridges the gap between public and personal transportation.

Since 1989, the AISI/CCS interns have faced design challenges that range from visual appeal to versatility of application. AISI has worked to mentor the CCS students by blending their creative vision with technological steel innovation to design concept vehicles that are safe, affordable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible. For more information, contact Deanna Lorincz.

SFA Welcomes Mark Nowak as Acting President

Following the September 1, 2008 departure of former president Larry Williams, the Steel Framing Alliance's (SFA) Board of Directors named Mark Nowak as interim president while they continue a formal search for a permanent replacement.

Nowak, who has worked closely with the SFA for several years and has been leading its technology codes program since 2007, will be responsible for managing the SFA's day-to-day operations as well as strategic initiatives that support its mission to facilitate the growth of steel framing in the construction marketplace.

"Mark Nowak is highly qualified to assume the role of acting president, his industry knowledge, as well as his long and valuable strategic relationship with the SFA will facilitate a very smooth leadership transition," Don Moody, SFA Board of Directors' chairman, said.

Nowak brings to the SFA more than 20 years of experience in working with the manufacturing sector to evaluate new technologies for adoption by the building industry. In his role with the SFA's Technology and Codes program, he has provided strategic direction and technical support and has also helped build strategic alliances with other industry groups.

Previously, Nowak was vice president of contract research for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, where he was employed for more than 16 years. A U.S. Green Building Council LEED® Accredited Professional, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. For more information, contact Laurie Farrell.

AISI Receives Collaborative Research Grants

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced that it will invest more than $6 million over three years in two AISI collaborative research projects aimed at developing transformational iron and steel processes and technologies that will reduce steel's energy intensity and carbon footprint.

The projects include: Paired Straight Hearth Furnace (PSHF)- A Transformational Ironmaking Process (McMaster University) and Research, Development and Field Testing of Thermochemical Recuperation (TCR) for High Temperature Furnaces - A Technology for Utilizing the Energy Contained in Waste Heat (Gas Technology Institute).

"The PSHF process has the potential to replace blast furnaces and coke ovens at a fraction of the operating and capital cost while using only 2/3 the energy," said Joe Vehec, AISI, Director—Technology Roadmap Program. "And TCR may reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional technologies by at least 30 percent."

These projects are part of the DOE - Industrial Technology Program's $26 million investment in developing and deploying energy-efficient technologies to reduce U.S. industrial energy intensity and contribute to significant greenhouse gas (and other) emissions.

These research efforts support AISI's climate change policy and will further compliment steel's technology-led initiatives to improve energy efficiency and impact climate change. For more information, contact Joe Vehec.

The Capitol Line

House of Representatives Allow Offshore Drilling Ban to Expire

The American steel industry welcomed the House of Representatives bi-partisan vote to allow the decades old oil and natural gas drilling ban to expire. The moratorium was excluded from a bill that will finance the federal government through March 6, 2009. The action comes after months of increased pressure from energy consumers in response to skyrocketing energy prices.

"In order to have a robust and competitive manufacturing base, access to reliable and affordable energy supply is key," said AISI President and CEO, Thomas J. Gibson. "More needs to be done, such as providing states with both financial incentives and control if they allow exploration and production."

Previously passed provisions allowed drilling 50 miles offshore, however, according to the Minerals Management Service, 80 percent of America's known natural gas and oil reserves are located within 50 miles off America's coastline. The new measure allows for drilling as close as 3 miles offshore. However, it is assumed the exploration issue will be revisited in the 111th Congress. Therefore, it is even more important for AISI's member companies to contact their Representatives and Senators through the Legislative Action Center to make the current action permanent.

To learn more about AISI's efforts on energy resources and security, click here.

AISI Submits Comments to U.S. Trade Representative

AISI, on behalf of its member companies, submitted testimony to the United States Trade Representative's Trade Policy Staff Committee this month regarding China's non-compliance with the commitments it has made to the World Trade Organization.

The comments highlight the U.S.'s need to address China's continued use of subsidies, currency manipulation, overcapacity and non-market behavior, which are undermining the U.S. manufacturing base. AISI suggested the U.S. government: (1) pursue additional WTO action as necessary; (2) take immediate and effective steps to counter China's currency manipulation; (3) demand true rectification of China's market-distorting practices; and (4) ensure strong and effective enforcement of U.S. trade laws, particularly antidumping and countervailing duty laws.

As documented in the AISI submission, China's actions have led to a dramatic growth in its steel industry, positioning China as the world's leading steel exporter. These actions have also greatly harmed the markets of the U.S. and other steel producing nations.

To learn more about AISI's China Focus, click here. For more information about AISI's submission, click here.

AISI Launches Policy Web Site Re-Design

On September 8, AISI launched a re-design of its public policy Web site, enabling it to be the most up-to-date, pertinent Web site related to the domestic steel industry. For more information about the launch, click here. To view the new Web site, visit www.steel.org/policy.

Check Out AISI's Public Policy Efforts on the Web

AISI's Public Policy Homepage

AISI's Legislative Action Center

For more information on these Web sites, contact David Ziemba.

If you have any questions regarding AISI public policy issues, please feel free to contact any member of the Public Policy Team:

More Stories

AISI Market Development Progress Report Receives More Recognition

The AISI Market Development Progress Report 2006-2007: Advancing Steel's Competitive Edge was recognized with a 2008 APEX Award for Publication Excellence. These awards are presented for excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence.

The Progress Report won in the category for Annual Reports-Print Over 32 Pages. The APEX Awards are sponsored by Communications Concepts, Inc., an organization dedicated to helping publishing, public relations and marketing professionals improve their publications and communications programs.

Earlier this year, the Progress Report received a Hermes Creative Award in the Publication/Annual Report category from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. For more information, contact Debbie Bennett.

SFA Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary

The Steel Framing Alliance (SFA) celebrated its 10th Anniversary on October 1 at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore at a "10th Anniversary Dinner." The dinner was held in conjunction with METALCON International, an annual trade show that brings together professionals from all areas of the metal construction industry.

"The SFA had a big challenge in its early days," said Don Moody, SFA Board of Directors chairman. "But now 10 years later, a solid infrastructure of codes, standards, design guides, training resources and a common standard for specifying and identifying steel is firmly in place. And not only have nearly half a million homes been built throughout the United States and Canada with cold-formed steel, but the industry has realized a tremendous amount of progress in using cold-formed steel framing as the main load-bearing element for mid-rise and low-rise multifamily projects."

The SFA anniversary dinner featured Dr. Esmael Adibi, a renowned economist from Chapman University in California, who spoke about the economy and the outlook for the steel framing industry.

In addition, the Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute, technical council to the SFA, presented the inaugural Award for Innovative Design to VLMK Consulting Engineers of Portland, Oregon, for a research wind tunnel in Swan Lake, Ore., that was designed for vehicle development for Freightliner Corporation. At 12,000 square feet, this project clearly demonstrates that applications for cold-formed steel framing can go well beyond office buildings. Sponsors for the event included Aerosmith, the Steel Stud Manufacturers Association and Dietrich Metal Framing. For more information, contact Laurie Farrell.

Rutgers University Study Explores Convenience and Nutrition at Mealtime

A study by Rutgers University professor, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Ph.D., RD, FADA, funded by the Canned Food Alliance (CFA) confirms that many moms in the United States do not believe that nutrition and convenience can coexist at mealtime.

The study, "Food Choice Influence of Mothers of Young Children: Implications for Nutritional Educators?", published in the July-September issue of Topics in Clinical Nutrition (Volume 23, Number 3), confirms the fact that mothers usually don't equate nutrition and value with foods that are convenient. Though mothers realize the link between diet and health, they find it tough to eat and prepare meals healthfully when they are busy or stressed.

That is where canned foods come into the picture. Convenience and nutrition can coexist in family meal preparation, thanks to canned food. Especially when schedules are packed, canned foods help moms cook a homemade dinner her family will enjoy, while delivering the nutrients her growing children need.

"Understanding that busy moms are open to receiving help presents a valuable opportunity for the canned food industry to provide solutions," said Rich Tavoletti, executive director, CFA. "Since canned food is already cooked and shelf-stable, on-the-go moms with busy families can easily stock their pantry to save time planning, shopping for and preparing meals, making dinnertime enjoyable."

The benefits of canned food successfully pair convenience with nutrition. For more information, contact Rich Tavoletti.

Publications Highlight Steel Recycling and Its Benefits

Steel, and the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), played a dominant role in an article titled "From Aersol Cans to Mirrors" in the September 2008 issue of Real Simple magazine. The article ran in the Homes section as the first of a two-part story (second part to run in the October issue) on how to recycle just about anything. The article included information on the recycling of aerosol cans, cars, empty composite cans (specifically the steel ends), empty food cans, coat hangars, steel lids from glass jars, keys, nail clippers, small appliances, and mattresses, just to name a few.

Additionally, readers were led to the SRI Web site, www.recycle-steel.org, for more information relative to steel recycling. It was also pointed out that steel always contains recycled content, which results in energy savings and thus the magazine states that these savings "result in scrap metal becoming a valuable commodity." Real Simple has a mainly female readership with a circulation of 1.8 million.

Another publication highlighting the steel industry's recycling efforts is Solar Today Magazine. The July/August edition highlighted steel's recycling heritage in the monthly column "Investing in Clean Energy." This edition's story, titled "Recycling Industry Offers Recession-Proof Investing," by Rona Fried, Ph.D., focused on the fact that a bright spot in today's marketplace is the recycling industry. The story highlights the fact that the U.S. steel industry uses 74 percent less energy to make iron and steel from scrap, and that two-thirds of steel used in the U.S. now comes from recycled sources.

In addition, E Magazine, one of the most far left environmental magazines published in the U.S. today, has continuously promotes steel because of its recycling heritage and environmental track record. For more information, contact Bill Heenan.

FeMET Initiative's Design and Curriculum Grants Awarded

AISI and the Association for Iron and Steel Technology's "Ferrous Metallurgy Education Today," or FeMET Initiative, has awarded its design and curriculum development grants for the academic year 2008-2009.

FeMET Design Grant—A team of metallurgical and mechanical engineering students and their professor from Colorado School of Mines has been selected for their proposal titled, "Weldability, Processing, Microstructure and Fracture Toughness Relationships in Advanced High Strength Steel." Their proposal was submitted in response to the 2008-2009 design theme "Technologies for Welding of New Generation Steels."

The Design Grant Program challenges North American university teams (students and professors) to submit proposals for grant funding in the theme area selected by the steel industry. The proposals must indicate how each team of professors and undergraduate students will approach the problem, including budget and schedule requirements. The maximum allowable time for the project is one year beginning in the fall of 2008. The number of awards granted depends on the funds available, with the maximum grant per award being $50,000.

FeMET Curriculum Development Grant—Seven grants in the amount of $5,000 each were issued to professors of ferrous metallurgy or materials science for the 2008-2009 academic year. Of those seven, six grants represent renewals from 2007, including:

• Dr. Robert H. Wagoner, The Ohio State University (Year 4 of 5)
• Dr. Harvey Abramowitz, Purdue University Calumet (Year 4 of 5)
• Dr. David P. Field, Washington State University (Year 4 of 5)
• Dr. Thomas J. Balk, University of Kentucky (Year 3 of 5)
• Dr. Sivaraman Guruswamy, University of Utah (Year 2 of 5)
• Dr. Thomas E. Graedel, Yale University (Year 2 of 5)

One new grant was awarded to:

• Dr. Alan P. Druschitz, University of Alabama at Birmingham (Year 1 of 2)

Proposals for the Curriculum Development Grant are solicited from North American universities for funding of a curriculum development assistant to enhance or update industry curriculum in ferrous metallurgy programs. The program objective is to utilize students to assist in the editing and updating of textbooks and/or other course materials for use in ferrous metallurgy education with an underlying objective to increase industry awareness within the academic community. The proposals must indicate how the professor will approach the task, including budget and schedule requirements. The number of grants depends on funds available, with the maximum grant awarded being $5,000 per year for five years for a total of $25,000. For more information, contact BV Lakshminarayana.

Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance Launches New Web Site

Recognizing the tremendous potential for market growth, the Steel Market Development Institute, a business unit of AISI, established the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA). Now, the SSBA, a coalition of bridge and culvert industry leaders, has launched a new Web site to educate bridge designers and engineers about the benefits of using steel.

The American Society of Civil Engineers reports that 27.1 percent of the nearly 600,000 bridges in the U.S. are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. More than two-thirds of these bridges fall into the short span category, which measure less than 120 feet.

The SSSBA aims to increase awareness of the unique benefits, cost-competitiveness and safety facts related to the use of short span steel bridges. These benefits include newly developed steel grades with higher yield strength; better toughness and improved weldability, which offer significant benefits in weight savings and fabrication cost reduction; the ability to be built quickly using local crews; and the opportunity to design with prefabricated components which are simple to install and offer considerable cost savings. The new site will be a valuable tool in alerting the design community and bridge owners to these advantages of short span steel bridges.

Alliance members include Big R Manufacturing, National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association, National Steel Bridge Alliance, National Association of County Engineers, Nucor-Yamato Steel, Roscoe Bridge, U.S. Bridge and Wheeler Lumber LLC. To view the new Web site, visit www.ShortSpanSteelBridges.org. For more information, contact Dan Snyder.

SFA Launches New Insurance Program

The Steel Framing Alliance (SFA) and DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance Brokers, LLC (a member of Assurex Global), have launched a comprehensive insurance program that provides builders who use steel framing with as much as a 43 percent discount on a broad range of insurance products. This program makes steel framing even more competitive with other construction materials.

Named "STEEL Advantage," the program is specifically tailored for cold-formed steel-framed construction projects, including single-family tract, low-rise multi-family, mid-rise commercial and mixed-use structures. The program is currently available to all cold-formed steel construction projects nationwide.

"Cold-formed steel framing has proven to be a cost-effective and durable structural framing solution for projects in these market segments. With the addition of STEEL Advantage we've strengthened our position as one of the most economically feasible building materials for residential and commercial construction," said Bill Kraft, the SFA's Director of Marketing.

With STEEL Advantage, the SFA and DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance Brokers, LLC are enhancing the level of insurance products available in the market. DiBuduo & DeFendis have held negotiations with major insurance providers to create a suite of products including General Liability, Umbrella and Excess Liability, Workers' Compensation, Builders Risk, and Commercial Property.

Some of the benefits of STEEL Advantage are:

• Contractors with combined liability insurance premiums totaling between $200,000 and $1 million per year, for example, could lower those premiums by as much as 43 percent (or $86,000 - $430,000)
  
  
• Since steel is non-combustible, Builders Risk policies for steel-framed projects are more attractive to underwriters than those for wood-framed structures. When industry-defined superior construction classifications are met, this can result in premium discounts between 5 to 15 percent, resulting in further savings.
  
  
• With accelerated construction schedules inherent in most steel-framed projects, the result is less time required for employees to be on the jobsite (compared to most concrete- or wood-framed projects) -and lower premiums for Workers' Compensation policies.
  
  
• Many insurance companies also offer annual premium discounts on Commercial Property insurance of about 5 to 15 percent over the life of the structure. So for buildings still standing after 50 years, the owner will receive 5 to 15 percent off annual insurance premiums over the course of those 50 years.

It is important to note that the benefits listed are simple estimates. Final premiums and figures would depend upon many factors, such as project type (commercial vs. residential), loss history for the contractors, geographical location of the project, etc.

Through the STEEL Advantage program, DiBuduo & DeFendis will also be equipped 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. The program is underwritten by Zurich North America and administered by Zurich Insurance Services, one of the largest providers of builders risk insurance products in the United States.

"The Steel Framing Alliance continues to provide resources to both owners and builders so that they can explore innovative and cost-effective framing solutions for their next project. This new suite of insurance products demonstrates our commitment to the building community," added Kraft. For more information, contact Laurie Farrell.

Orlando Adds Aerosol Cans to Curbside Recycling Program

As part of a major initiative in 2008, the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI) has been targeting the 15 top 100 populated cities that do not accept aerosol cans to change their programs so that these containers can be recycled alongside steel food cans.

The 2008 objective was to convince eight of these cities to change their program and accept aerosol cans. Orlando, Fla. became the sixth city this year to agree to integrate aerosol cans into their curbside recycling program. SRI continues to target the remaining cities and is extremely optimistic that this objective will be met by year end. For more information, contact Suzette Thomason.

AISI's Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) Offers Strategic Customer Solutions
Preparing for First Board of Directors Meeting

The August 1 launch of the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of AISI, has brought a heightened focus on the steel industry's investment in market development. This has stimulated positive discussion about the significant success of market development and the future role of the SMDI both in the marketplace and in the media, including stories in American Metal Market, Design News and Metal Architecture, among others.

"This new organization helps put a focus on the success of the industry's market development investment in finding cost-effective, value-added solutions for customers," SMDI President David C. Jeanes, P.E. said. "Currently, we're in the midst of developing Web-based strategic business tools for our investing companies that will provide convenient 24/7 access to the market solutions. These recommendations will be a focus of SMDI's first Board meeting on October 21st, with implementation anticipated in early 2009.

AISI Welcomes Ingrid Impink

"We're pleased to welcome Ingrid to AISI. Her extensive experience supporting high level public affairs operations in Washington, D.C. will be an asset for the Institute as we tackle an intensive public policy agenda," Gibson said.

In advance of coming to AISI, Ingrid worked directly for Tom as executive assistant of advocacy at the American Chemistry Council. Prior to that, she worked for Koch Industries as a public affairs assistant.

Ingrid served 26 years as office manager and senior executive assistant in the Washington DC office of Unocal Corporation, an integrated energy Fortune 500 company, where she managed all administrative operations for the government relations office.

She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband, Craig. They have a grown son, Christopher.