Perhaps now would be a good time to talk about the side of metal roofing less understood: the broad steel market. Quality and quantity, for starters, depends on how healthy the market is.
You probably know that you need iron ore to make steel— and tons of it. The World Steel Association estimates that you need 1,400 kg of iron ore, among other ingredients, to create one metric ton of crude steel; this means a ratio of 1.4 kg of iron ore for 1 kg of crude steel. If you’re not mining enough iron ore, it’s difficult to produce quality steel to be used for various aspects like roofing.
So when steelmakers like the U.S. and China enjoy an unprecedented growth in steel production, it’s safe to say the iron ore industry is just as healthy or better. Here’s an example:
China, which produces almost as much steel as the rest of the world combined, recorded growth of 9.2% in October to 65.1 million tonnes compared to last year, while global number two Japan’s production was up 7.7% to 9.5 million tonnes.
World Steel Association data also showed healthy growth outside Asia with US production jumping 8.7% to 7.4 million tonnes, and in the European Union, production was up 4%, led by a surprising 23.9% output boost in Spain and a 17.9% increase in Britain.
This isn’t anything new. Iron and steel have driven economic powers to supremacy since the dawn of time. After all, steel swords were leagues away from copper ones.
Steel production is a key indicator of activity in global industry and iron ore, the key steelmaking ingredient, is the second most traded commodity around the world behind crude oil.
More than 40 percent of all steel tonnage produced is allocated to construction, which includes Tampa metal roofing from a local perspective. Of course, raw steel doesn’t end up with your local roofer right away; it’s sent to metal fabricators to craft various products like roofing panels, flashing, and gutters. This is why roofers always keep in touch with their preferred suppliers.
In the end, every time you ask a Tampa, FL metal roofing contractor like Arry’s Roofing Services for a metal roof, in a way, you’re also asking the steel industry in general. The best part is: you get a product made from quality materials and (if you so choose) quality service in installing it as well.
(Article image and excerpt from “Iron ore price lifted by strong Chinese steel growth,” Mining.com, November 20, 2013)
