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(AMM) W. Coast steelmakers not in panic over new 'Buy American' rules

September 02, 2010 - 19:52 GMT Location: LOS ANGELES

KEYWORDS: West Coast , steelmakers , Buy American stimulus , ARRA

West Coast steelmakers aren't panicking about the clarification in "Buy American" regulations for federal stimulus projects, although buyers remain unsure of the ultimate impact.

Leading federal contracting agencies earlier this week came up with a final interpretation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that bans the use of imported slabs on manufactured products used for ARRA programs (AMM, Aug. 31).

Very little stimulus work has so far reached the West Coast steel market. However, this week's ruling nevertheless caught the attention of steel buyers in the region, whose market has become increasingly dependent on structural and construction jobs with some kind of public works component even though all of them don't carry "Buy American" restrictions.

All of the three-largest producers of flat-rolled products on the West Coast?none of which melt their own raw steel?use foreign feedstock for a principal or significant portion of their feedstock.

Evraz Inc. North America, whose Evraz Oregon Steel unit in Portland, Ore., produces plate and some other products from predominantly foreign...

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