ISA reports significant rebates for members

The Independent Steel Alliance (ISA), a co-op of independently owned rebar fabricators across the US and Canada, announced Friday that within their first year, they have helped their members secure significant rebates on regular purchases of common materials. This has lowered the cost of business for ISA members. ISA also announced that they have expanded their steel supplier network in numbers and geographic location. Supplier expansion has been a primary focus for the organization and will better serve the member companies. “The economics of the steel and rebar industries have created a positive environment for our business model and this is evidenced by our increasing membership, positive financials and growing supplier networks,” stated Chris Casey, PhD., and ISA Executive Director. ISA negotiates rebates on behalf of the collective purchasing volume of its members. Since its initial launch on January 1, 2013, ISA Members have moved thousands of tons and millions of dollars of volume into the co-op. “Most of us [ISA Members] were prepared for 2013 to be a building year. To know that many Members will be earning most if not more than their annual investment back in rebates this year, is outstanding,” said ISA Board Chairman and Member, Dennis Stump, President of Akron Rebar. According to data compiled by ISA Executive Director Chris Casey, more than half of all ISA Members should expect to generate a positive ROI in this first year. The Membership has been aggressively supporting the initial Supplier-Partners, showing their commitment to make ISA work for them. Through studying the consumption patterns and needs of its members, Casey recently announced the addition of DEACERO USA as a Supplier-Partner. Deacero is the largest producer of rebar in Mexico, supplying long bars in sizes #3 - #8, rebar coils, and potentially other products in Deacero’s inventory mix. “Current and potential ISA Members throughout the southwestern and western United States will directly benefit from having Deacero as a Supplier-Partner,” said Casey. “Currently, foreign steel is only a fraction of our Members’ total consumption. But that percentage is generally consistent and coupled with the attractive rebates available to ISA Members, this will certainly grow.” ISA also added SCHNELL SPA as a new Supplier-Partner, effective July 1. Headquartered in Fano, Italy, SCHNELL is a leading manufacturer of automated rebar processing equipment. “It’s not that you buy new fabricating equipment every year,” said Tim Thomas, President of American Steel Fabrication in St. Louis. “But when you do buy, it’s a big-ticket item, which would generate a sizable rebate.” According to Dennis Stump, “In our shops, we have equipment from a mix of manufacturers. However having a rebate program in place with Schnell will definitely influence my purchasing decisions when we are in the market for new fabricating equipment.”