Industry once was very labor-intensive but has evolved into a sector in which skilled workers are necessary. Workers must learn more about quality control and maintenance. The U.S. steel industry is producing the same amount of steel as it did 20 years ago but with 75-percent fewer workers, said H. Duff Hunt, vice president of recycled products at Chaparral Steel. Steel for homes offer stable prices, consistent quality, and recyclability. But there are new markets to grow other than residential construction.
Hotels are possible customers.
Marriott Corp. is building 125 new hotels in 1998, Sharkey said. Short-span bridges and steel utility poles are promising markets. Media outlets such as CNN, ABC, CNBC, Associated Press, Reuters, daily newspapers, and the trade press covered the announcement, Sharkey said. Archives Return to New Steel home page.