Health and Wellness: Stop the Spread
The COVID-19 pandemic and its disruption to industrial production has begun to impact metals production, especially steel. This comes on the heels of a difficult period for the industry in 2019, when it struggled with tariffs and experienced early signs of a demand slowdown. Now, the industry is in a day-to-day mode of monitoring and forecasting the demand for products from end-users, including the automotive sector, oil and gas industries, and others, such as white-goods (large home appliances) manufacturers.
As this crisis plays out, metals manufacturers will need to improve forecasting related to the potential for slackening demand among downstream steel consumers. A misalignment of supply and demand could trigger an over-supply of inventories that could lead to sudden price drops. Going forward, the decision on whether metals manufacturing companies (particularly steel producers) and their major end-users are nationally classified as “essential industries” may determine the level of impact on the industry.
The covid-19 pandemic is truly and unprecedented challenge for our community. With schools closed, businesses shut down or adapting to customer needs and people working from home, it’s natural to have many different reactions. Grief, sadness, frustration, anger, loneliness, and anxiety are all normal emotions to experience. But the reaction we want to express right now is gratitude.
WE APPRECIATE OUR WORKERS
In compliance with state and federal social distancing and quarantine regulations, employees have begun watching out for one another by caring for their health and limiting physical interaction with one another. Following these guidelines will help us get through this more quickly, and we want to thank you for doing so. To all of you “ESSENTIAL WORKERS”: Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are helping hold things together until life can return to normal once more.