Steel is a market where the material certificate is not an administrative formality: it is the central document in the supplier file. Standard EN 10204 defines four types of certificate — 2.1, 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2 — and each type carries a different liability level. A 2.2 certificate issued by the supplier itself never replaces a 3.1 issued by the producer's own laboratory. We systematically verify the type, the issuer and the match between heat numbers and delivered batches.
The second critical point is actual availability. ArcelorMittal, Aperam, Tata Steel and the major regional distributors manage order books sometimes exceeding sixteen weeks. Effective steel sourcing cannot be done from a catalogue: it requires knowledge of production schedules and trading stocks identified in advance. We work with a network of certified distributors in France and the Benelux, able to reserve custom rolling slots.
Finally, steel cost must always be analysed excluding transformation operations. Steel that is slightly more expensive but available in laser or oxy-fuel cutting, deliverable within five days, can represent a lower total cost than cheaper steel requiring additional cutting and three weeks' lead time. We always cost both scenarios before closing a consultation.
Typical requirements
- Hot and cold-rolled flat steel
- Sections, bars and steel tubes
- Stainless steel and special alloys
- Steel casting and moulded parts
- Forging, pressing and stamping
- Heat treatment and surface finishing
