EDITORIAL
Dear Readers,
First impressions count: just like the equipment we write about, MPT requires an overhaul from time to time. In time for the 2020s to kick-off, we have a new look, and with new look goes a new direction for the content, which has already become increasingly evident in recent years. Besides hardware – furnaces, rolling mills, coating lines – the role of software has become a decisive factor in steelmaking – in automation, Artificial Intelligence and all that matters in Industry 4.0. Another dominating megatrend is the obligation for steel to become green and to reduce its harmful impact on the environment, a topic which MPT will be sure to cover in the years to come. But besides Industry 4.0 and environmental sustainability, another significant issue has arisen out of the blue. The coronavirus and its consequences for lives, daily life, and business life. As MPT goes to press, many public events in Europe are about to be cancelled – entertainment events, sports events and commercial events. It will be worthwhile for all of us to follow the daily news, while MPT gives a first impression of how the steel industry is affected. And, before I forget: this is also a hello from your friendly new chief editor, Christian Köhl. Colleagues at your company will know me from my work as a correspondent for American Metal Market, Metal Bulletin, the pre-Platts SBB, and from Kallanish Steel over the past twenty years. For nearly as long, I have been familiar with MPT and its significance to the global steel industry. After a team of competent temporary editors compiled the most recent issues of MPT, I am proud to be taking over the managing role at the start of a new decade, and I am looking forward to working with you for the years to come.
Christian Köhl chief editor, MPT International
MPT International / March 2020
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