Author: S.Mills
Abstract
The origins of stainless steel have long been disputed, with several countries, including the UK, laying claim to its discovery and commercialization in the years following the First World War. Beyond question until now, however, has been the domination of the stainless industry by a select group of steelmakers close to the largest consuming markets. A wave of consolidation in Europe and the USA has left the likes of Acerinox, Arcelor, Outokumpu, ThyssenKrupp, Allegheny and AK Steel in a strong position, while in Asia the major stainless players have emerged from the industrial powerhouses of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Glaringly absent from this list are Chinese producers, though recent developments suggest this scenario is about to change – if it has not already done so.
