Structural steel forms the backbone of our nation. According to the American Institute of Steel Construction, structural steel is the most cost-effective, reliable and environmentally friendly building material.
Skylines, bridges, machinery and appliances all rely on structural steel.
IndustryNet's recent analysis of the more than 1,400 structural steel fabricators in its database reveals that the industry is growing, both in terms of employees and sales, with some striking regional differences in the U.S.
This analysis will explore these trends.
Structural steel fabrication sales trend up
IndustryNet reported a total of 1,450 structural steel fabricators, employing 34,372 individuals, representing a 2.85 percent increase over last year. At the same time, the industry experienced a sales growth of 2.96 percent over last year, with sales in excess of $15 billion. This sales growth is twice that of manufacturing as a whole, with two percent of steel fabricators reporting growth versus only one percent of all U.S. manufacturers.
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Unlike manufacturing as a whole, the structural steel industry relies heavily on domestic distribution. This reliance is likely based on several factors, including the cost of shipping completed structural steel elements overseas. Nearly 90 percent of all structural steel is utilized domestically, whereas only 70 percent of manufacturing companies nationally rely on international distribution.
Regional trends in structural steel fabrication
The Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) and the South (Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland/District of Columbia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia) lead the nation in the number of structural steel fabricators with 368 (25.38 percent of the nation's total) and 335 (23 percent) respectively.
The next major grouping includes West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas) with 200 structural steel fabricators, or 14 percent of the nation's total number of structural steel fabricators.
The Middle Atlantic (New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania) is very close behind the West South Central with 194 companies, or 13 percent of the national total.
The Pacific (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington) contains 169 structural steel fabricators, or 11.66 percent of the total.
Rounding out the group, Mountain (Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) holds 134 fabricators, or 9.24 percent.
Lagging far behind the other areas of the country, the New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) is home to only 50 companies, or 3.45 percent of the nation's total structural steel fabricators.
The true anomaly is that, in terms of employment growth, the New England states are far ahead of the rest of the country with 44 percent of companies reporting job growth to IndustryNet located in New England.
The South is slightly behind New England with 24 fabricators reporting growth, or 37 percent of the nation's total. The Midwest finishes the tail end of this group with 18 companies, or 28 percent of the total reporting employment growth.
Statistically speaking, the remaining regions are fairly close together. The Mountain region reports that 10 companies at 15 percent of the total have grown.
The West South Central contains nine companies, or 14 percent of the employment growth. The Middle Atlantic has seven companies for 11 percent reporting growth, and the Pacific houses six companies at 9 percent of the nation's total number of structural steel fabricators reporting employment growth.
Discover more with IndustryNet
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