• END USER INTERVIEW •
“ A lot of capacity has been taken offline recently due to events in the Middle East. That was unexpected, and it’ s having a significant impact on the global chemicals market.”
Such volatility reinforces the importance of flexibility- in both operations and supply chains.
New frontiers: Nuclear integration While much of Barber’ s work is rooted in established chemical processes, he is also involved in emerging areas; most notably, small modular reactor( SMR) technology.
Dow is partnering with Fluor Corporation and X-energy to deploy advanced nuclear systems at its Seadrift, Texas site. The project centres on the Xe-100 reactor design and is supported by the US Department of Energy’ s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.
For Barber, it represents both a technical and professional shift.
“ This is a new space for me,” he says.“ We’ re still in the early design stages, defining what materials we’ ll use. It’ s a combination of nuclear systems and conventional chemical plant integration.”
That interface is where many of the challenges lie.
“ You’ re not just designing a reactor- you’ re connecting it to an existing industrial ecosystem. That creates unique materials requirements.”
For Dow, the project also signals strategic diversification.
“ It’ s an opportunity to reduce energy costs, which is important given that the chemical industry globally faces extreme pricing pressure.”
Alongside emerging technologies, Dow continues to invest in large-scale conventional infrastructure. A notable example is its integrated ethylene
The meeting of the Stainless Steel World Americas Steering Committee in April 2026.
cracker and polyethene project in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.
Valued at over CAN $ 10 billion, the project is designed to deliver net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions, incorporating carbon capture, cogeneration, and off-site sequestration.
“ It’ s a major project,” Barber says.“ And like everything else, materials selection is fundamental to its success.”
The Gulf Coast: A materials hub Geography continues to play a defining role in materials supply. In the United States, the Gulf Coast-particularly Texas- remains a central hub, making it the perfect location for the 2026 Stainless Steel World Americas Conference & Expo.
“ Texas is effectively the metals hub of America, especially for imports,” Barber observes.“ There’ s a huge concentration of stainless steel consumption along the Gulf Coast, from Corpus Christi through to Pascagoula.”
This concentration supports both availability and competition, key factors in a cost-driven market. David Barber’ s perspective reflects an industry in transition- technically mature in many respects, but facing new pressures from cost, supply chain complexity, workforce dynamics, and emerging technologies.
Duplex stainless steels have moved from niche to norm. Welding challenges have largely been resolved. Yet new questions are emerging: how to secure cost-effective supply in a globalised market; how to maintain quality across an expanding supplier base; and how to integrate materials expertise into entirely new domains such as nuclear energy.
In that context, the role of the materials engineer is evolving from specialist problem-solver to strategic integrator, balancing performance, risk, and cost across increasingly complex systems.
For Barber, that evolution is part of the appeal.
“ It’ s always good to be challenged,” he says.“ There’ s always something new to learn.”
•
Stainless Steel World Americas | June 2026 | ssw-americas. com 27