USSK president George Babcoke speaks at public hearing on Steel Action Plan at European Economic and Social Committee

On October 23, USSK President George Babcoke, accompanied by Miroslav Kiralvarga, VP External Affairs, Administration & Business Development, attended a public hearing on the Action Plan for European Steel Industry (SAP) organized by the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change in the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The hearing was chaired by Michal Pinter, USSK Director Governmental & EU Affairs, in his function of the Vice President of the Employers Group at EESC and the President of its study group on SAP. George Babcoke presented to the audience, consisting of the officials of the European Commission (DG Industry & Enterprise), the European Parliament, the Council, as well as industry and trade unions reps, on behalf of the entire steel industry in Europe. Etienne Davignon, Former Vice-President of the European Commission and the author of EU's first action plan of 1977, was the keynote speaker.
"The industry had started to recover in the US and would hopefully also start to recover in Europe soon," Babcoke said in his intervention. The EU should, however, take appropriate measures as soon as possible to reduce the gap in industrial energy prices and costs between the EU and its main competitors. America is benefiting from the fracking revolution and resulting cheap, reliable energy, while European businesses pay historically high energy bills, he said and gave the example of an Austrian company which had decided rather to build a factory in Texas than remain handicapped by high European electricity and gas costs. "It is more profitable to transport raw materials across the Atlantic, process them in the US and bring the products back again than to expand production in Europe." In his words, Europe also needs much more consistent, predictable and cost-efficient legislative framework to remain competitive. Long-cycle investments, such as in the steel sector, require stable environment and conditions, he explained.
"We welcome and support European Steel Action Plan introduced by Vice-President Antoni Tajani, as the first important and necessary step to support the ailing EU steel industry," said Michal Pinter, speaking on behalf of the EESC. He added that the industry was concerned that the action proposed did not go far enough, especially with respect to the social dimension in the short term and energy and climate policy in the mid and long term. "It is alarming to see that companies were willing to invest in steel but not to do so in Europe," Pinter concluded.

Second of this year's gala evenings organized for long-serving metallurgists takes place

Five thousand five hundred and fifty five. This is the exact number of years that 161 jubilees from Coated Products and Tin Mill, Hot Rolling Mill, Cold Rolling Mill, Shipment, and Radiators and Pipes Divisions worked together in our plant. The gala evening on Friday, October 25 in the presence of the President of the Company George F. Babcoke, Vice President Operations Mark G. Tabler and other managers, as well as the Labor Union Organization KOVO representatives, during which silver and gold commemorative medals were awarded to the honorees marking their 45, 40, 35, and 30 years of employment with the company, was organized especially for them.
The hall also applauded to Vladimir Halgas, Operation Manager Cold Rolling Mill Maintenance, who was decorated by the Minister for Trade and Industry of the SR for his loyalty, self-sacrifice, excellent and quality job performance, on the occasion of the Day of Miners, Geologists, Metallurgists and Oilmen of the SR.

Wishing Trees will be decorated in our plant next week

According to the tradition that started seven years ago the Christmas Wishing Trees will appear in our plant already next week, on Tuesday, November 12, 2013. The purpose of the project for this year, under the auspices of the U. S. Steel Kosice President's wife Kathleen Babcoke, is to warm the hearts of children who were not so fortunate, during the most beautiful holidays of the year. The trees will be decorated with the help of wives of Company top managers, with altogether 74 cards in shape of small trees and angels, including the most secret wishes of children of our colleagues in needs and children from the Saint Klement Hofbauer Foster Home in Podolinec.

Coming to Kosice was a good decision

American Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic - AmCham opened its Office also in Kosice ten years ago. The agenda of the Office is mainly based on investment support in Eastern Slovakia. According to the Director, Mr. Rastislav Puchala, U. S. Steel Kosice is a stable partner of AmCham for organizing all important events. Several managers from the steel plant are also active members of work teams. The Chamber wants to continue in attracting direct foreign investments to Eastern Slovakia. "We will be very happy if investors from all areas stay in our Region and mainly those who will bring along innovative technologies, science and research programs. We would like to contribute to Kosice becoming a center of information and communication technologies in a broad cross-border region," said R. Puchala.

Recipe book presentation combined with tasting of delicacies

A Family Cookbook 2013 presentation with participation of Kathleen Babcoke and wives of Company top managers will take place on Monday, November 18, in the lounge of the U. S. Steel Kosice AB Building. You can support the Saint Klement Hofbauer Foster Home in Podolinec by buying the book, publication of which was initiated by Mary Rintoul, the wife of the former President of U. S. Steel Kosice, and which includes delicious recipes for making appetizers, soups, main meals, desserts, but also Christmas and Easter meals or traditional Slovak cuisine. Your relatives, friends or acquaintances who like cooking or learning English will be certainly delighted with such an original gift.