In an effort to be more responsive to the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis, steel manufacturer SSAB Americas has announced that it will immediately begin prioritizing production of steel designated for use in local, state or federal-level COVID-19 disaster relief programs or projects.

SSAB Americas is implementing a new order designation – Relief Effort Priority (REP) – for customer orders of steel destined for disaster relief. REP-designated orders will be given the highest priority throughout the manufacturing process at the company’s steel mills in Axis, Alabama and Montpelier, Iowa. REP-designated orders will be inserted immediately into the production cycle with expedited finishing, shipping and logistics to ensure the fastest possible delivery.

“SSAB Americas continues to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our company, our customers and our team members,” said Chuck Schmitt, president of SSAB Americas, a division of global steelmaker SSAB. “While our primary concerns remain the health and safety of our employees, as well as maintaining our quality product and service commitments, we also want to ensure that we are supporting efforts to combat this pandemic for the greater good of our communities. As a critical manufacturing company, we are committed to doing our part to contribute to overcoming the challenges ahead.”