Steel Products
Michael Cowden Joins SMU Team
Written by John Packard
December 29, 2020
Steel Market Update is pleased to announce that on Jan. 4, 2021, Michael Cowden will become the newest member of the Steel Market Update team. Michael will join SMU as Senior Editor where he will bring his experience reporting on flat rolled and plate markets, steel pricing, news and steel-related human-interest stories.
“Michael Cowden is well respected within the steel industry,” stated SMU CEO John Packard, “He has a great sense of what active buyers and sellers of steel need to know, a student of the market ever learning, he is an excellent writer, his intellect, work ethic and passion for the industry will add to an already exceptional team at SMU.”
Cowden joins SMU after spending 13 years at American Metal Market (AMM) where he wrote close to 8,000 articles. During his career, he covered flat rolled, long products, steel pipe and tube, as well as aluminum. In his most recent position, he was responsible for Fastmarkets’ daily price indices on flat rolled (HRC).
Prior to joining AMM, Michael held reporting jobs at the Associated Press (AP) in Pittsburgh and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He also has worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press.
Cowden has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Cowden lives in Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
Please join us in welcoming Michael Cowden to Steel Market Update. He can be reached at Michael@SteelMarketUpdate.com
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products
Atlas Tube debuts ‘HSS Connections Hub’
Atlas Tube, part of Zekelman Industries, has introduced an engineering resource aimed at simplifying Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) connection design for structural engineers and fabricators.
Nucor keeps HRC price unchanged
Nucor paused its weekly hot-rolled (HR) coil price this week, keeping it flat for the first time since Jan. 21. This comes after a nine-week rally that saw the company increase prices by double-digits for eight of those weeks.
Nucor increases plate prices by $40/ton
Nucor aims to increase prices for steel plate by $40 per short ton (st) with the opening of its May order book. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said the increase was effective with new orders received on Friday, March 28, in a letter to customers dated the same day. The company said the price hike applied […]
US CRC price gains ground over imports
US cold-rolled (CR) coil prices increased again this week, while offshore prices declined.
SMU Steel Demand Index momentum slows
Steel Market Update is pleased to share this Premium content with Executive members. Contact info@steelmarketupdate.com for information on how to upgrade to a Premium-level subscription. Growth in SMU’s Steel Demand Index eased in March after reaching a four-year high in late February. Despite a moderate gain, the index remains in expansion territory. The Steel Demand […]