MOORE: The Arkansas steel industry continues to grow despite tariffs and economic uncertainty. Business leaders met at the Rotary Club of Little Rock on Tuesday to discuss the current state of the industry and its future.
Steve Grandfield, chief operating officer of Lexicon, a Little Rock-based steel fabricator, says so far his company has been able to weather the storm of tariffs.
GRANDFIELD: The tariffs have definitely impacted the way we manage the buying of steel and our overall costs. But what I will say is being here in Arkansas and the close proximity to Mississippi County has been a real advantage for us. We have definitely been able to shorten supply chains. We were able to meet our customers’ needs.
MOORE: Amy Rogers, senior vice president of AFCO Steel, says large domestic mills located in northeast Arkansas have helped fabricators avoid the brunt of tariffs. She says her company is focusing its efforts on training a new generation of steel workers.
ROGERS: So we are going into high schools, we're going into colleges, we're partnering with trade schools. We're a big partner of Be Pro Be Proud, trying to get more kids into the trade. But also you do not have to have any skills when you come in the door other than to be able to show up.
MOORE: Mississippi County is often referred to as the top steel-producing county in the U.S., with billions of dollars in investment by steel manufacturers over the past several years.
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