BIR World Mirror on Ferrous Metals / Quaterly report - May 2014

PRESIDENT'S OPENING REMARKS
by Christian Rubach, TSR Recycling

Dear friends and colleagues,

The economic outlook for our industry is reasonably modest. The steel scrap recycling industry seems to be in a consolidation phase. A leading European and global steel scrap recycler is to receive a much-needed injection of fresh capital from Japanese investors who will take over 39.9% of the company. A good friend of mine on the mergers and acquisitions side of our industry tells me that business has never been more intense and that activity levels in this sector are more than satisfying.

Other well-known companies are appearing to deinvest and are trying to get rid of their steel scrap recycling activities. Our industry seems to be in the process of restructuring, which is good news. Where is our industry going? Everything depends on macroeconomic trends. Whenever good news occurs, the next item of bad news - such as the Crimea crisis - seems to follow along immediately.

I am therefore happy to announce fantastic speakers at our forthcoming Ferrous Division meeting in Miami. “The changing world of steelmaking and its impact on scrap” is the title of the presentation from Renate Cakule of Wood Mackenzie. She will cover long-term historical and future steel production trends and, among other issues, their influence on global steel scrap pricing. Another guest presentation - from Christopher Plummer, Managing Director of Metal Strategies Inc. - will focus on on-going steelmaking overcapacity, China, material competition, DRI and the potential of the US and Latin American markets.

I am looking forward to meeting you soon in Miami.

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