Metals

The metals industry includes both aluminium and steel producing companies. Core activities of the aluminium market, which has many global players, are production and processing. The largest customers are the automobile and packaging industries. By contrast the steel market is fragmented, especially in the US and Japan. Global steel trading has increased substantially in recent years, following the entry of Russian and Asian manufacturers.

Currently, structural overcapacity in the global market has brought lower prices. This is partly compensated by increasing demand from China. Last year the US again introduced protective import duties. The largest manufacturers are in Japan and in Europe and there is increasing cooperation between them.

The major steel manufacturing areas and markets are North America, Europe and Asia; the largest customer markets are the automobile and construction industries.

Voorne Partners has good knowledge of the industry and some of the partners come from the heavy industry sector, bringing first hand experience of its issues and challenges.