Recorded live from Metpack, this episode brings together Brian Talley of Steelforce America and Angelica Papageorgiou, global director of the group’s aluminium division, for a candid look at where the steel and aluminium supply chains stand in 2026.

Talley sets out the North American picture: a stable but uncertain market, the legacy of Section 232, an inventory overhang in tinplate and cans, and a fresh US trade case on tin mill products from China, Taiwan and Turkey. He also explains the reasoning behind the company’s expansion in Los Angeles and four new sales hires, and why he still believes buyers want choice rather than the lowest number.

Papageorgiou gives a blunt assessment of the aluminium market. Force majeure at a major Gulf producer has taken more than three million tonnes of primary metal out of circulation, the LME has climbed past $3,600, the Japanese premium has jumped from $190 to $351, and transit times from the UAE to Latin America have stretched to around 90 days. She argues buyers need to stop shopping on price alone and start planning for continuity.

The conversation closes on CBAM, recycled content, AI in scrap sorting, and whether the industry tells its own story well enough.