U.S. steel industry experts spotted three quality control standards that did not seem right. The proposed international standards would have required changes in the manufacturing quality process employed by U.S. producers but not those used by producers from other countries.

The proposed changes were not necessary. Existing U.S. quality practices were sufficient to assure the desired quality level. U.S. industry experts raised their concerns during a meeting of the International Organization of Standards (ISO). They reported being able to get ISO to drop the proposed standards thanks to a discussion “in an atmosphere of accommodation.” The U.S. team of private technical experts participated in the Paris-based meeting thanks, in part, to financial support from ITA’s Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) award.

Standards Fairness Facilitates $88M Export Increase

Steel Founders Society of America (SFSA) estimates that after many months of increased participation in ISO meetings and the ISO committee’s dropping of the proposed quality standards, U.S. steel firms increased their annual exports by $88 million. SFSA’s strategy was simple: get more U.S. industry representatives involved in ISO steel standards development meetings. MDCP award funds of $172,000 helped cover additional travel and personnel costs.

And, SFSA received special support from ITA’s standards attachés in Brussels as well as its Industry & Analysis standards team and industry experts in Washington, DC. This, plus the support of standards developing organization ASTM International, and industry group the American Iron and Steel Institute, enabled several positive developments that ultimately resulted in liberalized exports for U.S. steel producers:

- Increased by 12, the number of U.S. experts reviewing ISO documents, a 20% increase over the previous number. 
- Reactivated a long-dormant committee on steel tubes for pressure purposes. 
- Became a participating member on the committee on ferrous metal pipes and fittings.

Thanks to the MDCP partnership, a U.S. standards attaché was able to be present at many of the ISO meetings on steel standards. The bulk of the work on behalf of the United States as a participating member in these ISO committees is done by U.S. industry product experts employed by private industry. The U.S. system is voluntary and driven by standards developed in response to the demands of private industry.

Unique U.S. Approach to Standards

Unlike many countries, the United States does not have a government body that develops or promulgates standards. However, one U.S. industry delegate to an ISO committee reported after his ISO meeting where a U.S. standards attaché was present that it was one of the most productive he had ever attended. “The atmosphere of the meeting was very accommodating, particularly on the work of harmonizing chemical compositions of approximately 100 grades of stainless steels.”

ISO is a network of 167 national members with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system. Founded in 1902, Steel Founders Society of America (SFSA)is based in Crystal Lake, Illinois. SFSA membership is available to any foundry organization that manufactures steel castings.