Usher Lauds, Defends U.S. Steel Initiatives

摘要

US. Steel is pretty much running flat out. Our lead times are moving ut and prices are moving up at a much faster rate than in past recoveries. I do not see [Section] 2001 being the driver [of price recovery]. There's been a curtailment of supply [due to domestic mill closures]. We did see imports drop off considerably after peaking in January and February.Trade sanctions were needed: We have 900 million tons of capacity around the world and 700 to 750 million tons of demand. As long as this imbalance remains, you'll have trade friction. For years, the steel industry was government and quasi-government [supported] for social or political reasons and not for economic reasons. One of the positive movements was privatization - we're now looking at an industry that will make more economic-based decisions.