At SteelOrbis’ sixth annual Rebar & Wire Rod conference in Las Vegas February 2, Chris Casey, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Independent Steel Alliance, joked that there are so many independent rebar fabricators in the US, “if you squash one, three or four more will pop up in its place.” Defined by a lack of allegiance or affiliation to rebar producers, independent fabricators are empowered by their choice of suppliers, Casey said, and the US market should take note of their position as a “major buying force” considering overall rear consumption among “Indies” is on the rise.
According to Casey, independents’ market share of fabricated rebar tons reached 37 percent in 2014, and based on the positive construction outlook shared by over a third of the Independent Steel Alliance’s vast network of fabricators, that share could rise in 2015 based on reports of strong backlogs, increased bid-work, and a shift in trend from public projects to private construction demand. Additionally, a strong preference for US-produced rebar has left import inventory languishing at about 11 percent—something US mills could potentially capitalize upon if demand projections hold.