Sector Focus: Steel stockholders
“As steel stockholders, we continue to play a key role in ensuring steelwork Steel Stockholders
contractors are met with just-in-time supply. We believe that established local
supply networks and continued investment in advanced processing technology are
imperative to maintaining the UK’s world-class steel fabrication standards.”
Barrett Steel Group Managing Director James Barrett.
12 NSC
March 18
Steel stockholders play a vital part in
the steel construction supply chain,
ensuring the market is supplied with
what it needs when it is needed. From
an extensive national network of depots,
steel stockholders serve all parts of the UK
industry.
What range of products do they stock?
As well as heavy structural sections they
supply plates, hollow sections, light sections,
cladding materials, flats and angles – all the
elements needed to create a steel structure.
What other services do they offer?
Like the rest of the steel construction supply
chain, stockholders have invested heavily
in recent years in productivity and service
enhancing equipment and computercontrolled
stock control and distribution
processes. Some have invested in the latest
laser cutting, sawing, shotblasting and
priming equipment.
“Today’s steel stockholders play a much
bigger role in the supply chain, offering
more than just stock materials from the mill.
Processing services such as sawing, painting
and drilling are being demanded more and
more by steelwork contractors. Most look
to tap into the large investments made in
plant and machinery that give flexibility to
match their workloads, storage space, shorter
lead-times and availability of labour; while
keeping control of their output,” says AJN
Steelstock Sales Executive Phil Cleaver.
What is the relationship between
the steel stockholder and steelwork
contractor?
Some steelwork contractors of course buy
direct from the mill, usually for specific
projects involving large quantities of steel
sections. The factors that influence what
percentage of a steelwork contractor’s steel
is sourced from a stockholder or direct from
the mill will vary over time and with the
size and nature of each project. There will
also be a lot of variation between steelwork
contractors.
Benefits of using a steel stockholder
Stockpiling
Stockpiling ensures continuity of supply
when production is interrupted and avoids
disruption to customers. Stockholders also
have a bulk breaking role.
One of the major benefits to steelwork
contractors of the stockholders is not having
to hold expensive stocks of steel themselves,
tying up capital with no guarantee that the
steel stocked will be needed for the next
project. Stockholders can do this much more
economically as, having a lot of steelwork
contractors to supply, they can turn their
stock over much more quickly.
“As tubular specialists, National Tube
Stockholders (NTS) offers the market a wide
product portfolio of sizes and grades to suit
many applications. Our service is second
to none, with a highly professional and
knowledgeable team we aim to make life a
little bit easier for our customers,” says NTS
Group Marketing Manager Danni Hadley.
Requirements and Certification
Most stockholders are now accredited to
ISO9001 - Quality Management. Other
certifications stockholders might hold
include;
• BS EN 1090-1 – Factory Production
Control
• BS EN ISO14001 – Environmental
Management
• BS OHSAS 18001 – Health & Safety
Management.
A new requirement for stockholders who
are involved in stocking structural steel
products for highways work is National
Highways Sector Scheme 3B – Stocking and
distribution activities for structural steel
products.
From 15 September 2018, NHSS3B will be
a mandatory requirement for all companies
involved in the stocking and distribution of
structural steel products for all Highways
England projects, as well as other public
bodies adopting the Highways England
Series 1800 specification for structural
steelwork.
Furthermore, for projects that start before
15 September 2018 and finish after this date
it is highly likely that NHSS3B will be a
requirement.
NHSS3B does not apply to manufacturing
activities, only to stocking and distribution
activities.
All about stockholding
NSC highlights the services steel stockholders provide, the
benefits they offer and some of the standards and requirements
applicable to this sector.
Sponsors
Headline: Barrett Steel Limited
Gold: AJN Steelstock Ltd,
National Tube Stockholders
and Cleveland Steel & Tubes
Picture courtesy of National Tube Stockholders
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