From 1995 to 1997

摘要

At home and abroad, the pace of change in the world of steel accelerated in 1996. Like British Steel earlier, Usinor Sacilor and steelmakers in Poland, Finland, and Russia moved from state toward private ownership. Steelmakers continued shifting their focus from processes and products to markets and customers, as well. They started getting serious about improving profits-because "weak margins make it harder to raise capital," as LTV president Pete Kelly told the IISI conference in Helsinki. They raised prices, but, better yet, worked to make themselves "integral to the success of our customers," as Kelly said. As Chrysler encouraged its steel suppliers to identify and eliminate waste in the supply chain, "some members of the steel community are catching on, but others just don't get it," said Chrysler steel buyer Jim Carleton. Bethlehem decided to sell or shut down four units (Newsfront, this issue).