Architectural & Structural Metals Mfrs NAICS 3323

Dec 18, 2025 - Procuring Low-Carbon Steel

• Producers of architectural and structural metals looking to reduce their carbon footprint have a new resource to help procure low embodied carbon structural steel, Modern Steel Construction reports. The American Institute of Steel Construction’s (AISC) newly-released Specification Strategies for Embodied Carbon Reduction is poised to influence how architectural and structural steel manufacturers compete and operate. The guide encourages firms to require Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), fabricator sustainability documentation, domestic sourcing, and steel produced by Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF), all of which shift market expectations toward lower‑carbon products. As scrutiny of sustainability practices increases, manufacturers that invest in cleaner production and traceable sustainability practices will likely have a competitive advantage. The new guide is a collaboration between AISC's Sustainability Committee, the Resources Subgroup of the SEI Sustainability Committee, the Specification Working Group of the NCSEA National Sustainable Design Committee, and a consulting architect specializing in specification writing.
• Architectural and structural metals manufacturers are facing increasing cost and engineering pressures due to more stringent local‐ and state‐building codes, Metal Construction News reports. Key drivers include snow loads, wind loads, fire ratings, and aesthetic/finish requirements, all of which frequently necessitate heavier gauges, stronger anchoring systems, additional materials (insulation, fire‐resistant barriers, framing upgrades) and more rigorous engineering. For manufacturers of architectural and structural metals this means upfront costs escalate (more steel, more testing), longer lead times, and the need to supply more complex, code‐compliant systems rather than simple commodity panels. At the same time, the increased stringency is an opportunity for firms that develop pre‐engineered, code‑ready metal systems or high‐performance finishes to win more business. To succeed in the increasingly regulation‑heavy metal building market, manufacturers must prioritize engineering expertise, robust supply chains, and product innovation.

• In September, domestic steel prices fell to their lowest levels since February, giving up earlier tariff-driven gains, OilPrice.com reports. Weak demand from the construction sector, short mill lead times, and volatile durable goods orders are putting downward pressure on prices, including for hot-rolled steel coil, which in early September saw its lowest price since February. The Raw Steels Monthly Metals Index (MMI), which tracks steel prices, fell nearly 1% from August to September. In the first quarter, prices jumped $241 per short ton following tariff announcements by the Trump administration. However, since peaking in March, prices have fallen $109 to $818 per short ton. Prices for cold-rolled coil and hot-dipped galvanized steel are also trending downward. While tariffs have provided support for domestic steel prices, falling demand from the construction and manufacturing sectors is dragging down steel prices.
• Producer prices for architectural and structural metals manufacturers rose 7.6% in September compared to a year ago – a record high for the industry – after rising just 0.5% in the previous September-versus-September annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Import tariffs on aluminum and steel, along with a more recent tariff on raw copper, are raising costs for manufacturers, prompting them to hike prices. Employment by the industry is also at a record-high level, up 3.3% year over year in August, while average wages at architectural and structural metals manufacturers rose 6.5% over the same period to a new high of $27.46 per hour, BLS data show.