3rd North American Steel Conference
12-14 October 2009
The Fairmont Hotel, Chicago

The 3rd North American Steel Conference will once again bring together consumers, steel mills, fabricators, service centers and financial analysts. The event presents a unique opportunity for delegates to meet and hear from senior- level representatives from companies involved in the North American steel market, both on the user and supplier-side.

More than 350 high-level delegates attended in 2008 and we anticipate an even more influential audience in 2009.

Download the conference brochure


SAVE $150 - Book by 4th September

1) Online
2) Call us on: +44 20 7903 2410
3) Email us with your full contact details
4) Fax your registration form to us on +44 20 7903 2432

Why should you attend?

• Gain the latest intelligence on the vital issues driving the North
  American steel industry from the leading industrialists and
  economists
• Hear a high-quality programme organised by CRU – the leading
  independent steel industry research organisation and
  consultancy in the world
• Network with senior-level steel industry decision-makers from
  around the world
• Meet the experts – CRU's assessments of steel prices have
  emerged as the most widely used assessments in the global
  steel industry, in particular in North America 

Do you want to rasie your profile in front of the North American Steel
Community? Download our sponsorship & exhibition brochure

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MONDAY, 12th OCTOBER

1400 - 1700 Strategic Sourcing Workshop: Coping with the new 'normal'

The great boom is over, and after the crash the fear that we are heading for a rerun of the 1930s is receding. The outlook remains very uncertain, however, and the only thing that is clear is that the heady days of 2003-8 are well and truly over. It looks like the "new normal" will include difficult markets for steel consumers' products, and a strong need to purchase competitively and manage risks. This practically focused three hour workshop will examine and discuss issues to help steel consumers such as:

• What is the outlook, and how uncertain is it?
• How can you purchase efficiently in the present conditions?
• How can you manage price risk, and what is likely to happen to pricing structures? Will financial hedging be viable, as well as physical?
• What about imports, and the risk of protectionism?
• Supplier risk: will some of the mills, or even producers who supply you go under in the next few years?
 
Free to registered participants at the conference, but places
are limited: book now! 

1830 - 2000 Welcome Reception - The Fairmont Hotel

TUESDAY, 13th OCTOBER

09:00 Conference welcome address

09:05 Chairman’s opening remarks

Chairman: Philip Tomlinson, Senior Managing Consultant,
CRU Strategies, UK 
 
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS

09:10 After the recession, then what?

What are the relevant indicators saying about the onset of a recovery?  And the end of this national economic nightmare just raises more questions about the future.  What single factor could make the
difference between a subpar manufacturing rebound and a robust
one?  Who will lead the world and who will lag?  And will inflation and interest rates be tame or tempestuous? 
 
Dr. Ken Mayland, President, ClearView Economics, LLC

10:00 The new normal

• Can auto and light vehicle production in the U.S. stay at 6 million units when the scrappage rate is 13 to 14 million?
• What about demographics and growth in the population and family formation?
• When might non-residential construction recover?
• Impact of the carbon tax on integrated steelmakers?

Chuck Bradford, Partner, Affiliated Research Group

10:20 Exploring the current status of the Chinese steel market

• The importance of China to the steel market
• Analysing Chinese demand in 2009 & 2010
• China’s export balance
• Examining supply side issues for the Chinese steel market 

John Johnson, CEO, CRU China, China

10:40 Analysing the current status of the Mexican steel industry

• Exploring demand fundamentals in the Mexican market
• Charactersitcs of the Mexican supply base
• Examining the trade relationship between the USA and Mexico
• Impact of swine flu on the Mexican steel sector

Luis A. Landois, Vice President-Sales, Altos Hornos de Mexico (AHMSA), Mexico

11:00 Question & answers

11:05 Refreshment & networking break


INTERNATIONAL TRADE

11:35 Global steel trade trends

• How is the US affected?
• The role of China
• Future prospects for world imports and exports

Steve Mackrell, Director of Operations,
Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau (ISSB), UK

11:55 Panel discussion: free trade vs. protectionism

• Is protectionism contagious? What are the global repercussions?
• Analysing the Chinese state/business relationship
• US govenrment’s position on imports
• Understanding ‘Buy America’ in practice

Gary N Horlick, Partner, Law Offices of Gary N. Horlick
Thomas A. Danjczek, President, Steel Manufacturers Association
David Phelps, President,  American Institute for International Steel
 
STEEL AND CARBON ABATEMENT

12:45 Future of cap and trade legislation

• Real threat or red herring?
• How could C02 alter the cost structure for US steel makers?
• Examining the threat of carbon leakage
*

13:05 Lunch
Sponsored by:


STEELMAKING COSTS

14:15 Steel: from a raw materials supplier point of view

• Global steel demand
• Iron ore dynamics
• Met coal availability

Donald J. Gallagher, President - North American Business Unit, 
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc
 
14:35 Fundamentals of the metallurgical coal market –
domestic & export

• Dynamics of the met market (post recession)
• Role of US met coal producers in the future
• Challenges to producers and consumers of met coal

Michael J. Quillen, Chairman & CEO, Alpha Natural Resources

14:55 US domestic scrap and the impact of overseas markets
on the US market
*
 
15:15 Energy  - oil and natural gas, key influences over
2 to 5 years

Brennan Higgins, Treasury & Commodities Div. - Energy Markets, Macquarie Bank Ltd. - Rep Office

15:35 Steelmaking & raw material costs - where is the new equilibrium?

• Comparison of BOF & EAF production routes
• Value chain squeezing: winners and losers
• How do North American producers fare in the cost competitiveness stakes?

Colin Hamilton, Senior Consultant, Steel,  CRU Group, UK

15:55 Questions & answers

16:00 Refreshment & networking break

 
LONG PRODUCTS

16:30 US construction outlook

• Impact of infrastructure spending on the construction sector
• How far is the bottom?
• The recovery scenario
• Longer term issues

Edward J Sullivan, Chief Economist, Portland Cement Association

17:00 Recent impacts and outlook of the construction business

• Long product consumption vs. capacity
• Impact economy has had on construction business
• Outlook

Matt Brace, Sr. Vice President, Sales & Marketing, CMC Americas

17:20 Purchasing perspective - how to effectively buy steel for long lead time projects

• Examining the pros and cons of domestic purchases vs. imports (transportation, customs, claims, quality, etc,).
• Analyzing risk management, relationship management strategies
*

17:40 The North American long products market: building a recovery?

• The US construction sector was a leading indicator of the economic downturn, with activity depressed throughout 2008.
• The weakness in the economy in the first half of 2009, allied to restricted credit, worsened the picture for the construction sector, and as a result, the North American long products market was hit hard.
• What is the outlook for the market, given that the impact of the US government's economic stimulus package will begin to be felt towards the end of 2009 and that the pace of economic decline is forecast to slow into 2010?

John Kovacs, Principal Consultant, Steel, CRU Analysis, UK

18:00 End of day 1

WEDNESDAY, 14th OCTOBER
 
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS - FLAT PRODUCTS

09:10 Outlook for the US steel sheet market  - AK Steel perspective

• Changing dynamics in U.S. auto production
• Climate change, energy and other significant legislative impacts to U.S. steel producers
• How the "Great Recession" may change the face of the U.S. steel industry

James L. Wainscott,  Chief Executive Officer, AK Steel

09:30 The outlook for US steel sheet markets

• Analysing recent market developments
• Exploring the outlook over the next 12-24 months
• Examining the drivers of change in 2008, 2009 & beyond 

Paul Scott, Managing Consultant - Steel Business Unit, CRU Group, UK

09:50 Auto Industry in transition: risks, rewards, and ‘orderly restructuring'

• The different approaches OEMs are taking to globalization and supply base strategy
• The changing role of the government and what it is likely to evolve to;
• Dealing with greater volatility in the marketplace – both an OEM and a supplier issue.

Kim Korth, President, IRN International

10:10 The recapitalization of the auto industry - the supplier perspective

• Snapshot of the financial health the supply base
• New complexities: customers, owners & sub tier suppliers
• New business model opportunities – what will it take to succeed in the future?

David Andrea, Vice President, Industry Analysis and Economics, Original Equipment Suppliers Association

10:30 Questions & answers

10:35 Refreshment & networking break

 
SOURCING IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT

11:05 Sourcing in a volatile market

• Creating stability through sourcing
• Management of supplier relationships
• Importance of global business leverage

Carlos A. Barajas, Director, Global Commodity Management Steel, Whirlpool Corporation

11:25 Sourcing - steel service centre perspective**

• Is consolidation necessary to counteract producer pricing power?
• Will the events of the last year lead to a new model of purchasing & inventory holding
• Outlook for steel service centres
David W. Bazzy, Preseident & COO, Kenwal Steel Company*

11:45 The smarter supply chain of the future - a metals point of view

• Characterizing today's new metals economy and the changes in the supplier/producer/customer landscape
• Understanding the results of IBM's 2009 Global Chief Supply Chain Officer Study
• How will supply chains have to change to meet the challenges of aggressive global competition?

Gary Cross, Business Optimization Leader, Industrial Sector,
IBM Global Business Services 
 
CAPITAL MARKETS PERSPECTIVE

12:05 Analyzing the financial status of companies in the steel supply chain

Mark Parr, Managing Director, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Inc

12:25 Examining the challenges faced securing project finance in the current climate

Aldo Mazzaferro, Chief Financial Officer, Steel Development Company*

12:50 Lunch and close of conference 

 * Speaker to be confirmed
** Title to be confirmed

Comments from 2008:

“This forum provides an optimal venue to get all of the market stakeholders together to share their experiences and expectations”
Nick Warrick, Ford Motor Company

“An excellent opportunity to meet with and to hear from some of the brightest minds in the steel industry”.
Jacob Garrett, Worthington Industries

“In two days, event speakers and networking provided the quality information that outsiders wished they knew”
Chris Hoffman, Reference Metals

“The 2nd North American Steel Conference was one of the best events I have attended on raw materials and the steel industry. The quality of information presented was excellent”.
Mohammed Mohiuddin, Schlumberger

“The conference was excellent in terms of attendees and detailing market specifics with which to monitor future activities within the industry. Well thought forward and reverse trend analysis”
David W. Bazzy, Kenwal Steel Company

MONDAY 12th OCTOBER

1830 - 2000 Welcome Reception - The Fairmont Hotel

Further details to follow

On receipt on your conference registration, we will email you a reduced rates hotel booking form for The Fairmont Chicago.

The Farimont Chicago
200 North Columbus Drive
Chicago
www.farimonthotel.com/chicago