A Study of the Metals Industry
Report Overview
The following report is a study on the metals market that includes companies that buy and/or sell steel, aluminum, carbon, and other metals in North America. The objective was to identify ways that the Sellers (i.e., suppliers, distributors, service centers, fabricators, etc.) in this market could better improve their positioning with their Buyers (i.e., customers and prospects purchasing metals). To do so, we conducted a series of interviews with both Buyers and Sellers of various sizes to determine what the leaders in this market are doing to differentiate themselves and grow their businesses.
Rationale for the Study
We are particularly interested in how B2B (business-to-business) companies with a commoditized (or nearly commoditized) product or service overcome their situation by identifying new ways for them to differentiate themselves. These companies are often market leaders for years, only to begin struggling with an “identity crisis” once their competition catches up. As an example, think about big players in the world, like Kodak or Xerox, that were once on top and known for a very particular product and how, over time, their competitive product advantage dissipated. Many companies fail to make the necessary changes to regain their position at the top of the market – however, irrespective of industry, those that rebound from the commoditization trap have observable commonalities.
