Steel Tube Institute Goes Green

This year?s Steel Tube Institute of North America?s
(STINA, Coral Gables, FL) Annual Meeting, held October 7-8 in Las Vegas, focused on green buildings and green building rating systems, with presentations from the top two rating systems in North America,
LEED and Green Globes.

"Our members have been dealing with requests from customers for information about steel tubing and its ability to provide points for the LEED and Green Globes? ratings systems for quite some time, so
we decided to have the two organizations address our members,? said Bill Wolfe, executive director of the Steel Tube Institute. ?We were looking for ways that the Institute can help to standardize the
industry?s responses so we can save our members the time and expense it takes to answer these requests.?

?We had a very positive exchange and it appears that both organizations are considering additions to their system that could help our members provide additional points for their customers in the future,? said Mr. Wolfe. ?Electrical products now receive no credit, so steel conduit is not able to provide points, and the recyclability, longevity and life cycle cost advantages that steel products like pipe &
tubing provide aren?t fully considered by the rating services,? he explained.

In addition to the green building initiatives, the members of the Institute were invited to participate in a number of events and activities in conjunction with the FABTECH Show that was being held at the same time as STI?s Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. These events included a behind-the-scenes tour of the FABTECH Show; a keynote speech by Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway PT who holds
over 440 patents, many in the medical field for devices such as the portable dialysis machine, a robotic mind-controlled prosthetic robotic arm and a water purification system being used in African villages.
STI?s members also heard a talk by Joseph Rothman, executive vice-president of the architectural firm of Bergman, Walls & Associates, who spoke about the concept, design and construction of the 50-story Eiffel Tower that is the signature structure of the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. STI member companies provided a significant amount of structural steel tubing (HSS) that was used in the upper portions of the structure.

In the business segments of the STI?s Annual Meeting, member companies reported on business conditions and discussed the current situation in their product areas, including: the percent of sales
increases or decreases over last year, as well as forecasts for the next quarter and for 2009. John Byers, California Steel & Tube was recognized for his service as President of the Steel Tube Institute for the past two years. Warren MacKenzie of PTC Alliance was ratified as the incoming president. His two-year term will begin January 1, 2009.
The STI?s next meeting is scheduled for the spring of 2009 in Washington, D.C..

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