1

Steel Survey

Spot Review of Common

Perceptions of the Steel Industry

2

• Methodology

– Online survey run from 12-23 March 2007

– 120 university educated/professional individuals

– 15 nationalities from private and public sector

– Response rate: 70/120 (58%)

– Balance of qualitative & quantitative responses

• Top Line Summary

– A ‘dirty’, ‘old’ industry in transition currently marked by major

consolidation

– A sector that is generally viewed negatively in terms of its

environment, labour and government track record

– Clear opportunity to educate the public on its benefits, its

corporate and environmental responsibility and its contribution to

economic and social life

3

Associations with Steel Products1. Strength

2. Cars

3. Construction

Associations with Steel Industry

1. Dirty, heavy, polluting

2. Old style industry beset with labour issues

3. Linked to specific countries and companies

4. Financially strong / weak, protected, corrupt…

4

Recognised Companies (unprompted)

1. Mittal / Arcelor

2. Corus

3. Tata

4. British Steel

5. US Steel

6. ThyssenKrupp

7. Nippon Steel

5

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

An industry of the future

An industry in decline

An industry in transition

An industry of the past

An industry that pollutes the planet

An industry that is not well understood

Perception of the Steel Industry

6

5

33

23

7

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

More positive than negative

More negative than positive

Indifference

I have no idea

Attitude towards the Steel Industry

70

48

17

18

15

44

3

15

8

19

3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

A hot bed of innovation

An old-fashioned industry

A major contributor to climate

change

A dirty and unsafe sector

A major employer in many countries

A sector that is rapidly

consolidating into a few big players

A commodity business that adds no

real value

A driving force behind the

economies of Asia

A predictable sector where nothing

really new happens

A last bastion of old-style

manufacturing

A sector that is undervalued by the

financial community

Public View of the Steel Industry

8

No

39%

Yes

61%

Read anything recently about steel?

If so, what?

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Consolidation

Job cuts

China

India

Safety issues

9

How Interesting is the Steel Industry?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1. Dull as

ditchwater

2. I am aware of

it but not

interested

3. It is about as

interesting as

copper

aluminium and

plastics

4. It is an

interesting

industry going

through immense

change

5. I cannot think

of a more exciting

industry to be

involved in

100% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Financial Times

Wall Street Journal

The Economist

Newsweek

Business Week

Asian Times

www.worldsteel.org

www.steelworld.com

www.eurofer.org

Not objective

Some doubts

Adequate

Quite reliable

Very reliable

Most Objective Media Covering the Sector

11

Suggested Ways of Improving the Image

• A greater focus on communications, especially PR

• Driving a clear connection between the industry and consumer

benefits – exciting design, presence in everyday life,

recyclability etc

• An integrated stakeholder approach demonstrating the

industry’s implementation of real, tangible corporate social

responsibility

• Demonstrate how the industry continues to contribute to

economic growth, jobs, stability, innovation & environmental

sustainability, as well as other connected industries

12

Suggested Ways of Improving the Image

• Promote awareness of the role of steel production in driving

best practice in environmental responsibility through greater

transparency, investment in cleaner technologies and support

for worthy causes

• Demonstrate how the steel industry leads to the development

of iconic products, as well as a better future

• Explain the balance of production and consumption across

Asia and Western markets to demonstrate a responsible

approach to the environment, labour rights and the local

communities