3rdwave Metals Trading and Distribution

An Industry Overview

The metals industry business environment is best characterized as high volume/low margin. High substitutability, excess world capacity, falling demand, restricted markets, dumping and unfair government subsidies have not made doing business easy for the metals producer or trader. Successful traders and distributors are under constant and increasing pressure to improve their operations.

Improving operations means doing 'business as usual' is not sustainable. Improving operations means fundamentally changing the efficiencies of the processes supporting the business. However, changing a company to become more productive does not need to be disruptive. Change is a continuous process.

Metals traders and distributors are constantly required to respond to the changing demands of their customers while adapting to the constant demands of their mills and suppliers.

The major challenge for the metals trader and distributor is to be flexible and responsive while remaining profitable. Profitability for the trader and distributor is driven through streamlined business processes that deliver exceptional organizational efficiency.