During a ceremony in Marion, Ohio Monday, Nucor CEO John Ferriola presented US Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) with the “Man of Steel Award” for his support of American manufacturing. In advance of the ceremony, Brown and Ferriola toured the plant and met with workers.
Brown, vice chair of the US Senate Steel Caucus, is a strong supporter of the domestic steel industry and has worked to boost America’s manufacturing sector. Most recently, President Obama signed into law Brown’s legislation, the Leveling the Playing Field Act, that gives US companies – like Nucor Steel Marion – new tools to fight against unfair trade practices. The legislation protects the domestic steel industry from unfair competition by restoring strength to antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) statutes that allow businesses and workers in the United States to petition the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and the International Trade Commission (ITC) when foreign producers sell goods in the US below fair value or receive illegal subsidies.
“For many years, Senator Brown has fought for a level playing field for the US steel industry, and has stood against foreign governments that have abused the rules of free trade,” said Ferriola, Chairman, CEO and President of Nucor Corporation. “We appreciate the Senator’s commitment to hard-working Americans and their families. The improvements to the trade laws that he sponsored are absolutely critical to our ability to fight back against a tsunami of illegally traded steel imports. With the right tools and strong enforcement, we can out-compete anyone.”
“I’m grateful to the workers and leadership at Nucor for honoring me with this award,” Brown said. “For generations, steelworkers at plants like Nucor Steel Marion have made the steel that built this country. But years of shifting production overseas and illegal dumping by foreign competitors have taken their toll on our manufacturers and workers. That’s why I introduced the Leveling the Playing Field Act and why I’m doing everything I can to support jobs here at Nucor and help our entire steel industry grow and prosper.”