SPEAKERS
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Robert Fry
Robert Fry Economics LLC
Economic Forecast for Red Metals Professionals
Presented by Robert Fry
Wednesday, October 19, 2022 • 1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Economist Robert Fry will share his outlook for the global economy, with an emphasis on the United States and on markets important to the copper and brass industry. He will discuss the likelihood and likely timing of a coming recession, using several leading indicators. Among the topics covered will be gross domestic product, industrial production, housing starts, motor vehicle sales, energy prices, inflation and interest rates.
About Robert Fry
Robert Fry is chief economist of Robert Fry Economics LLC, where he analyzes and forecasts the global economy to guide business decision makers. Fry publishes the monthly newsletter Current Economic Conditions and speaks on the economic outlook to corporate leadership teams, customer/supplier events and trade association meetings.
Fry is currently a member of the Consensus Economics, Wall Street Journal and CNBC survey panels. He has served on the boards of seven non-profit organizations, including the National Association for Business Economics, the nationally recognized Charter School of Wilmington and the Honors Tutorial College at Ohio University.
John E Gross
The Copper Journal
Global Insights into the Red Metals Market
Presented by John E Gross
Thursday, October 20, 2022 • 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
The red metals market fluctuates wildly and is influenced by numerous factors. In the last 12 months, prices have skyrocketed and demand has been tight. Lead times are longer, which are compounded by shortages in the trucking industry. Given all these factors, what might be coming around the corner?
This session will focus on key global production and consumption trends. While it’s difficult to predict what China will do, there is no question that China has a huge impact on the red metals market for the rest of the world. During this session, different scenarios will be discussed and you will see how they might impact your businesses.
We can look back to look forward. The Copper Journal has conducted a long-term study of copper prices, and reoccurring patterns have emerged. We’ll see where we are in the cycle and what might be coming next. Plus, you’ll hear about the growth in global copper consumption over the years, as well as a review of significant changes underway in copper recycling within the United States.
About John E Gross
John Gross is president of J.E. Gross Consulting Inc., a metals management and consultancy firm he established in 1987 to assist companies in their procurement of metals, scrap recycling and price risk management. In addition to his consulting activities, he has worked with global leaders in the metals industry over the past 45 years.
Gross began his career in metals in 1973 when he joined U.S. Metals Refining Company, a division of Amax Inc., where he rose to become manager of administration. In 1981 he joined Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting as manager of trading and precious metal sales. In 1983 he became a futures broker with Johnson Matthey & Wallace, specializing in metals on the New York Commodity Exchange and the London Metal Exchange. Gross joined BICC Cables Corporation in 1985, now owned by Prysmian Group, where he became vice president of strategic metals for their North American operations.
Gross is a graduate of Hofstra University in New York and is a highly decorated Vietnam veteran. He is the publisher of The Copper Journal, an industry newsletter since 1987, and has written extensively about copper, commodity markets and industry issues. He was a director of the American Copper Council and served as a member of the Comex Advisory Committee.
INDUSTRY HOT TOPIC SPEAKER
Adam Estelle
CDA Vice President
Copper’s Critical Role in a More Sustainable Future
Presented by Adam Estelle
Thursday, October 20, 2022 • 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 a.m.
The electrification of everything, the clean energy transition and climate change will fuel unprecedented demand growth for copper and copper alloy semis for the foreseeable future. Against this backdrop, the copper supply chain must evolve and collaborate to meet constantly changing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies, regulations and goals, while at the same time remaining financially viable. No one company, industry or association can take this on alone.
In this session, Copper Development Association’s Vice President Adam Estelle will review some of the underlying policy and market drivers that are changing the landscape and creating new challenges and opportunities up and down the copper value chain.
Focus areas will include:
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Copper use in electric vehicles, renewables and other growth segments
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Where will all the copper come from?
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Sustainability/ESG challenges and opportunities
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The changing recycling landscape in North America
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Recycled content, the circular economy and scrap stream viability
About Adam Estelle
Adam Estelle is the vice president at Copper Development Association Inc. (CDA) and oversees several market advocacy initiatives designed to bring the value of copper and copper alloy products to society. Estelle is a subject matter expert on brass rod, antimicrobial copper and scrap stream viability. He joined CDA in 2008. Estelle holds a bachelor of science degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Arizona.