Steel Plus Network Connections Issue 5 | Page 6

BY COLLEEN DOUCETTE

The Magic In Connection

BY COLLEEN DOUCETTE

here is magic in connection . Something inexplicable yet reliable . When you gather people together to share their knowledge and wisdom , what comes out of it is progress , growth , and community .
Steel Plus Network recently held its first annual general meeting and gala since the pandemic was declared , and we created an experience for our members and suppliers and their guests that will remain with them forever .
We began in Brussels , Belgium , global headquarters of the World Steel Organization ( https :// worldsteel . org /). This organization was the reason I chose to host our AGM there . I wanted our members to hear about the global position of steel and perhaps gain some new perspectives . For our Education Day , we heard from Scott Chubbs , Deputy Director General ; Åsa Ekdahl , Head , Environment and Climate Change ; Jorge Muract , Director , steel university ; and Terrence Busuttil , Director , construct steel .
Each presenter ’ s discussion provided new insight for our attendees . In fact , Ed Cote , President and CEO of Whitemud Ironworks in Edmonton , Alberta , said , “ This was high-level information that we are never exposed to , and it was great to get a context around how the industry is dealing with global steel issues . It also took us out of our local mind-set to a global mind-set .” Tom Skinner , Vice President of Finance at RKO Steel in Dartmouth , Nova Scotia , said , “ It was very eye opening !” and Ken Ballweg , CEO of Endres Manufacturing in Waunakee , Wisconsin , said , “ It was very informative !” This is the magic of connection !
There is an incredible and world-famous structure in Brussels — the Atomium . For the concept of its atom-like design , the designers turned to nature . In nature , iron atoms are organized according to a regular cubic structure that could be scaled up and reproduced as a building . Thus , the Atomium is an “ elementary iron crystal magnified 165 billion times that today forms the cube on the tip of the structure ,
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