The association of European steel and metal distributors EUROMETAL has published its analysis of the sources of steel product supplies in the EU-27 in 2010.
In 2010, in the EU-27 traders of steel products (coils, plates, beams, rebar, wire rod, merchant bars and pipes) provided about 136 million mt of steel, i.e., 63 percent of the total needs of the EU. Of these, 57 million mt came from stockists and 29 million mt were supplied by flat steel service centers.
Key figures EU-27 market supply for considered portfolio | ||||
2008 | 2010 | |||
Shipments (million mt) | Market share (%) | Shipments (million mt) | Market share (%) | |
Stockholding distribution | 71 | 45 | 57 | 42 |
Flat steel service centers | 31 | 19 | 29 | 21 |
Steel distribution | 102 | 64 | 86 | 63 |
Direct mill | 57 | 36 | 50 | 37 |
EU market supply in considered products | 159 | 100 | 136 | 100 |
According to EUROMETAL's analysis, as regards beams, merchant bars and construction steels (rebar, wire rod, mesh) the market share of traders (especially stockists) is still very high and close to 90 percent. In the tubular products segment, there is far greater equilibrium, with the share of direct distribution reaching about 45 percent of the total deliveries in the EU-27. Concerning demand for steel coils and strips, which represent the largest steel market in terms of sales, the situation is almost perfectly balanced: half of the supplies are made by traders, while the other half is provided directly by producers. Finally, in the field of steel plates, the producers have the upper hand, albeit just by a few percentage points, while service centers and stockists share the remaining market.
EUROMETAL, which calls itself ‘The voice of the European steel trade', brings together four different organizations:
Nat.Fed, Eurometal Federation of National Associations, which represents over 3,300 steel trading companies.
EASSC, European Association of Flat Steel Service Centers, with a widespread coverage of Central and Eastern Europe.
Dismet, Eurometal Study Group of Distributors of Steel, Tubes and Metals, which is rooted in all EU-27 countries.
STSG, newborn Study Group of Steel Trading Companies. The first meeting of the STSG was held October 21, 2010 in Düsseldorf.
EUROMETAL represents 85 million mt of supplies, about 3,500 members, more than 100,000 employees and more than one million customers.