6th Steel Division Annual Meeting & Dinner

摘要

As LAURIE GILL reports, the two day annual gathering of the IoM's Steel Division on 17-18 September was inevitably overshadowed by events in the USA. In light of the effect on the global industry those present considered the challenge of such difficult times in 'Steel - vision for the future'.The annual meeting of the Steel Division of The Institute of Materials, seems to take place each year under difficult circumstances. In 1999 it was the economic situation, last year it was the petrol crisis (and the economic situation), and this year it was the gathering storm clouds following the US terrorist attacks (and the economic situation). Six days after that event it seemed very appropriate that such a global industry should start its annual meeting with a minute's silence in honour of those who died in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania and their families. There could have been no more eloquent, if tragic, statement of how events in one country can have significant global repercussions. We were to see more of that effect during this meeting, particularly for the steel industry. Dr Mike Pettifor (Chairman of the Steel Division) opened the event by saying that the papers to be presented showed a need for change, and indeed a willingness to change, to enable the industry to survive in a changing world.