Steel Products

SMU Adds Michael Cowden to Writing Staff

January 4, 2021

Steel Market Update is pleased to announce that veteran steel reporter Michael Cowden has become the newest member of the Steel Market Update team. Michael has joined 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