Where are the minimills?

摘要

Both Siderar of Argentina and Posco of Korea have an electric-arc furnace, but, apart from that, all the 33 steel companies involved in the Ultralight Steel Auto Body (Ulsab) project have integrated mills (see "In This Together," pp. 26-27). Minimills are welcome to join the Ulsab project, as long as, in the U.S., they join the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), says Darryl Martin, manager of the AISI's automotive office in Southfield, Mich. That's too expensive and means they' d be under the thumb of the likes of U.S. Steel and Bethlehem, minimill executives respond (New Steel, Newsfront, April). Minimills are getting a free ride on the r&d paid for by the integrated mills, inte-grated-steel managers sometimes complain. Absolutely, respond the minimills, who currently supply steel for only a few automotive parts but are making moves to enter that market.