ISA

Independent Steel Alliance

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Just registered for the upcoming CRSI Regional Meeting in Milwaukee, WI, Sept 16-17. Hope to see a lot of independent fabs there!
https://t.co/jeD1jaQ3UL

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

New Family Business Book!
Are you in a family-owned business? This book is for you!

Working With Dad: A Blueprint for Success in the Family Business is an unflinching guide to one of life’s most complex challenges: building something meaningful with the people you love. Drawing on interviews with more than 200 family business members across industries, including his own 20-year journey working with his father in the family rebar business, ISA Executive Director Chris Casey PhD explores the decisions, tensions, and turning points that shape the family business journey—from joining the company to earning trust, navigating conflict, planning succession, and knowing when it may be time to leave.

Available on Amazon in two formats: Paperback and E-book.

Click the link below for more information and to order your copy today!

https://t.co/LTqJoLQYng

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Exciting News! ISA Supplier-Partner expanding in TX!

The second and final phase of Optimus Steel’s ambitious expansion and upgrade project in Beaumont, Texas, which aims to double its capacity to produce rebar and wire rod, is on target to be completed by the second quarter of 2027, a company spokesperson told Fastmarkets on Thursday May 14.

The Optimus spokesperson said the project’s completion “will mark the largest project in the company’s history and a major step in strengthening domestic steel manufacturing capacity.”

A wire rod consumer has described the scale of improvements at the Beaumont mill from the beginning to completion as “by far the largest expansion in the domestic wire rod industry in many years.”

“If, as it seems to me at least, the wire goods market has hit the bottom and could start to grow incrementally in the future, their timing for 2027 could be very good,” the wire rod consumer said. “Upon completion, the company’s rolling capacity will eventually reach 800,000 tons of wire rod and 800,000 tons of rebar annually, for a combined total of 1.6 million tons of finished steel products per year,” the spokesperson stated.

For full article, visit https://t.co/93rlBhgoOn.

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Rebar news you may have missed from last week. Three stories North American fabricators need to know:

𝟏. 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐫 𝐝𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐜𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝.
The Department of Commerce confirmed on April 8 that antidumping and countervailing duty orders on rebar from Mexico and Turkey will continue. The ITC found that revoking them would likely lead to material injury to domestic producers. These orders have been in place since 2014. For fabricators, this means the two largest historical import sources remain walled off. If you were hoping for import relief to offset domestic price pressure, that door just closed for another five years.

Primary Source: https://t.co/Amvn945qBp

𝟐. 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐩 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.
April scrap landed mostly as expected: #1 busheling sideways at ~$460/GT while shredded and HMS dropped $10-20/GT across most regions. But the real signal is the HRC-to-busheling spread, which hit $639/ST this week — the widest since May 2023. That spread tells you mills have room to hold rebar pricing even if scrap softens. Translation: don't expect relief on finished product just because your scrap cost ticked down.

Primary Source: https://t.co/wEmy1TV37B

𝟑. 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝟓𝟎% — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟.
The EU moved last week to raise tariffs on imported steel to 50% and cut duty-free import quotas by 47%, citing a threat from global overcapacity — particularly Chinese supply. This matters for North American rebar because it further fragments the global market. Chinese rebar and billet that used to flow into Europe now needs somewhere else to go. With the U.S. already behind 50% Section 232 tariffs and Canada tightening its own quotas, the available destinations for surplus global steel are shrinking fast. That keeps pricing elevated everywhere.

Primary Source: https://t.co/VtOXLYIkhn

The common thread:
Every week, the walls around the North American rebar market get a little higher. Imports from Mexico, Turkey, Europe, and China are all getting more expensive or more restricted. That's good news for domestic mills. For fabricators, it means your material cost floor just keeps rising.

The question for your next bid: are you building that reality into your pricing, or still hoping for a pullback?

#SteelIndustry #Rebar #ConstructionEconomics #Tariffs #TradePolicy

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Forget the headlines about oil. Here's what the Iran war is actually doing to North American rebar prices — and why it's going to get worse before it gets better.

U.S. rebar mills aren't waiting. Nucor, Gerdau, and others have already layered supplementary surcharges on top of published pricing since early March, citing rising energy, scrap, and freight costs tied to Middle East disruption. Lead times have extended into Q2. That's not a coincidence — it's a choice. When import alternatives disappear, domestic mills price like they know you have nowhere else to go. Because you don't.

Here's why alternatives vanished:

Iran contributes roughly 4 million metric tons of finished steel and 7-8 million tons of semi-finished material to global trade annually — about 11% of worldwide semi-finished flows. That supply is gone. Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped 86% in the first days of the conflict, per Lloyd's List Intelligence.

But the more immediate story is what's happening to Gulf mills. According to Argus Media's latest reporting, GCC rebar producers — normally major exporters — are skipping April shipments entirely because they can't secure billet. April rebar allocations in the Gulf were reportedly cut by 30-35%. Some re-rollers didn't even offer April at all.

Why does that matter to a fabricator in Texas or Ontario? Because global billet availability just tightened dramatically. Every converter worldwide is now competing for the same shrinking pool of semi-finished steel, and that pricing signal is already feeding into U.S. scrap and domestic billet markets. Italian rebar assessments are up nearly €70 ex-works since the war started. That's the ripple moving toward us.

Now add the domestic cost pressure: the AGC's February PPI data already showed fabricated rebar up 20% year-over-year — and that data was collected February 13, before the war even started. Diesel alone jumped 20.3% in a single month. Every stick of rebar you move from mill to shop to site just got more expensive to transport.

What to watch:

>> Mill surcharge announcements in the next 2-3 weeks (these are the real tell, not list price changes)

>> Scrap settlements in mid-April — if #1 busheling breaks above $420/GT, expect another rebar move

>> Whether Gulf mills resume April shipments or push into May

For anyone quoting work right now: assume 5-8% additional cost pressure on rebar by end of Q2, and build escalation into every bid that extends past 60 days. This isn't speculation — it's arithmetic.

Are you seeing surcharges land yet in your market, or are mills still holding the line on published prices?

#SteelIndustry #Rebar #ConstructionEconomics #IranWar #Fabrication

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Rebar news you may have missed from last week.

Three stories that matter for fabricators in the U.S. and Canada:

𝟏. 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝟐𝟎% 𝐘𝐨𝐘 — 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐭.
The AGC's latest PPI analysis shows fabricated rebar and bar joists up 20% year-over-year as of February — the steepest climb since 2022. Steel mill products jumped 20.9%. And here's the kicker: this data was collected on February 13, before the Strait of Hormuz closed. The AGC's chief economist warned that Middle East disruptions to oil, gas, and aluminum will push costs even higher.

Full report: https://t.co/QgfzCb9JMC

𝟐. 𝐔.𝐒. 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝟕𝟔% 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 — 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜.
SteelOrbis reported that U.S. rebar imports hit 101,984 MT in January, up 76.3% month-over-month. Sounds alarming until you see it's still down 38.5% year-over-year. Turkey was the top source at 47,112 MT. With 50% Section 232 tariffs still in place, imports aren't threatening domestic mills — but the month-over-month spike signals some buyers are pulling forward purchases ahead of further price increases.

Source: https://t.co/PoYHDDufRY

𝟑. 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭���𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐬 — 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.
A new TRQ quarter started March 27. Canada slashed steel import quotas from non-FTA countries to just 20% of 2024 levels, and even FTA partners (excluding the U.S. and Mexico) got cut to 75%. The tariff remission on U.S. steel for Canadian manufacturers expired January 31. Combined with Canada's "Buy Canadian" policy for government contracts over $25M and 50% rail freight discounts for interprovincial steel shipments, Ottawa is aggressively reshoring steel demand. Canadian fabricators should benefit; cross-border sellers need to adjust.

Details: https://t.co/gSCDBsHa8d

The thread connecting all three: material costs are rising, imports are getting squeezed on both sides of the border, and the Middle East conflict is adding a layer of unpredictability on top. If you're quoting work for Q3, price accordingly.

#SteelIndustry #Rebar #ConstructionEconomics #Tariffs #Canada

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

https://t.co/Tq1p4Me4NV

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

https://t.co/sqPRPVLR20

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Examining Recent Rebar Price Increases

Rebar mills have pushed prices up $60/ton since November, and the market is signaling more is coming. Here's why fabricators need to pay attention right now.

Domestic rebar mills raised prices $30/ton in January alone, on top of a $30 move in late 2025. Scrap — the biggest input cost — is up $80/GT from last year's lows, with Chicago heavy melt settling at $395/GT in early February.

But the real story is what's happening underneath the price moves:

Manufacturing just expanded for a second straight month. ISM hit 52.4 in February with new orders at 55.8. That's demand pulling through, not just cost-push inflation.

Meanwhile, West Coast rebar lead times are sitting at 4-6 weeks — manageable. But if you need material from mills east of the Rockies? You're looking at 12-13 weeks with rail. That spread matters if you're quoting jobs today for summer pours.

The wildcard: the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA "reciprocal" tariffs in February, but Section 232's 50% steel tariff is untouched. Imports aren't coming back to bail anyone out. Domestic mills have pricing power and they know it.

Fastmarkets' March scrap survey shows brokers bullish, sellers neutral, and buyers bearish — the classic setup before prices consolidate sideways. I'd watch April scrap settlements closely as the real tell for Q2 rebar direction.

Are your customers locking in pricing for summer work, or still waiting? Curious what you're seeing.

#SteelIndustry #Rebar #ConstructionEconomics #ScrapSteel

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

https://t.co/Cf49a6K6Fo

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

ISA Member Spotlight - Dimension Fabricators - https://t.co/8gPqwAQba4

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

REGISTER TODAY! ISA Webinar, Wed Aug 26: Making Smart Credit Decisions during Covid Pandemic - https://t.co/xR2bRgtQv2

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

ISA Webinar: Making Smart Credit Decisions during Covid Pandemic - https://t.co/UGNV3CCwUn

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

ISA Webinar: Legal Issues Amid Covid-19 Pandemic - https://t.co/9eJS2EtBUb

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Register for ISA Webinar: Economic Impacts of Covid-19 on Steel Industry - Thursday May 7, 2:00 PM EST - https://t.co/kNG60Wc17o

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Looking for financial assistance during COVID-19 pandemic? We've compiled a brief summary of financial assistance resources in the U.S. and Canada for small businesses - https://t.co/bhMCstm5WG

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

ISA Welcomes CASCADE STEEL as newest Supplier-Partner! - https://t.co/kJsrjbyuuz

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Proponents of wood-based construction continue to make gains among developers and specifiers, asserting environmental advantages of using wood as an alternative to concrete and steel. https://t.co/e1eAy7DuMc

[ISA @ISA_Rebar]

Attention Family Firm Leaders: How do you define and measure success? It's not as clear as you'd think! https://t.co/Pv7Fvb84Kk