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North American Stainless Steel Producers
Like any industry, the stainless steel industry is dominated by manufacturers and producers that span the globe. In North America we are home to over 80 different producers of stainless steel. A producer of stainless steel is one who actually manufacturers the steel from raw materials. Because of the heavy infrastructure and capital costs associated with such a production, producers of stainless steel tend to be in smaller numbers than manufacturers of stainless steel products.
Producing stainless steel is done in plants that take raw materials such as the alloy, chromium and nickel content and other additives and produce raw stainless steel for use in a variety of applications. Most stainless steel is produced for the general construction industry, however there do exist specialty producers who manufacture different grades and classes of steel that are used in such fields as aviation, medical and automobile manufacturing.
In North America most stainless steel producers tend to be located near areas where railroad and ship transport is abundant. Some of the largest plants that produce steel in the United States is located near the Great Lakes region which serves as not only a central hub for railroad shipping and movement via the lakes themselves, but also as a gateway to trade with Canada and steel producers in that country. With the automobile industry being a large user of stainless steel as well, there location also makes them central to most major automobile plants within the U.S.
North American stainless steel producers are members of the Specialty Steel Industry of North America, a trade organization that promotes the use of stainless steel and monitors industry trends around the world. They sponsor industry conferences to promote to other industries and consumers alike the value proposition of using stainless steel from everything from building construction to kitchen appliances. They are also a powerful voice in Washington , DC with their own lobbying effort and task force that informs members of Congress about worldwide stainless steel trends, pricing points and trade.
Producers of stainless steel in North America regularly set pricing and other trading agendas that affect our supply of stainless steel and also import/exports from other countries. Recently they have been working to help raise the price of North American stainless steel versus that of stainless steel coming in from European countries.
For a list of member organization of the Specialty Steel Industry of North America, or to read more about current trends in stainless steel production, visiting their website at www.ssina.com