Remarks by Mike McQuade on Stelco's re-establishment.
I would like to personally thank all of you for joining us here today. Your attendance further demonstrates the passion this community holds for our industry and our company. Stelco has an iconic history, a history that began on this very spot over a century ago.
Since then, generations of steelworkers have created opportunity for their families. At the same time, Stelco has always manufactured the highest quality steels that have helped to build our country. The Canadian landscape is colored with Stelco steel, and today we are returning to our roots with every intention of continuing that legacy for another century.
A little over a year ago we began a process of re-establishing ourselves as an independent Canadian steel company. Today's announcement is another critical milestone as we continue down that path. While there have been many exciting developments over the recent days and weeks, our journey is far from over.
Today our company is filled with optimism and the belief that Stelco is well positioned to capitalize on the opportunity before it. More importantly, the exceptional people that work here are both prepared and excited to meet the challenges ahead.
As we have already heard this morning, Stelco is a generational company that has provided thousands of people in our community the opportunity to succeed. I could not be more proud than to announce that our family is growing. Starting today, we are launching a recruitment drive to attract the next generation of steel workers at Stelco.
These employees will join a resilient, dedicated, forward-thinking team that is committed to innovation and delivering the high quality products our customers require in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
This recruitment exercise is another critical step towards becoming an independent Canadian steel company. We will be repatriating jobs that previously left Canada as part of an exercise to find efficiencies within a global organization.
Today - I am happy to announce that those jobs are coming home.
Many of these employees will have a direct hand in the design of the stand alone IT systems that will replace our current systems that form the backbone of our business. Others will be the public face of Stelco as we interact with customers and suppliers.
Still others will be on the front lines of developing and manufacturing the world's most advanced steels. In short - they will be steering our company into the future.
Those who I have spoken to in the past have heard me speak passionately about the quality of the physical assets at Stelco, but more importantly, you have heard me speak at length about the quality of our people.
Those standing with me here today represent only a fraction of the over 2,000 dedicated men and women who are directly responsible for creating the opportunity before us.
It is because of their tireless efforts in the face of adversity that we are able to gather today and once again raise the Stelco flag. Joining us today are some of our valued retirees who represent those that went before us and help build this great company. Naturally they are concerned about their pensions and benefits and justifiably so.
But today is about taking another step towards a brighter future and making Stelco great again. Today begins a new era for Stelco. One that is built on a legacy of pride, but one that presents great opportunity for our company, our employees and our community going forward, a New Stelco.
Once again - thank you for joining us on this special day.