The Specialty Steel Industry
An environment requiring partnering and customer service.
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The steel industry today is vital to both economic competitiveness and national security. Steel is the backbone of bridges, skyscrapers, railroads,
automobiles, and appliances. Most grades of steel in use today, particularly high-strength steels that are lighter and more versatile, were not
available ten years ago. Steel is the most recyclable and recycled material in North America, with an overall recycling rate of 68 percent.
The U.S. steel industry is a $50+ billion enterprise; additional downstream processing pushes this value closer to $75 billion.
There are more than 1,200 firms operating in all but a few states. The absolute number of integrated mills (producing steel in basic oxygen furnaces)
has always been relatively small and is currently about 20. The industry employs approximately 154,000 people nationwide.
The steel industry (including iron production) is one of the largest energy consumers in the manufacturing sector and has invested more than $7 billion
in environmental controls
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