What would this planet we call home look like if there was no such thing as steel? From cars to trains, and from bridges to skyscrapers, the human race is undeniably dependent on steel supplies and on the ability of steel suppliers to manufacture enough of it in order to meet the ever increasing demand.
If you’re not yet convinced, then consider the fact that China produces roughly 150 million metric tons of the stuff every year. Despite such an immense output, China is still the world’s largest steel importer, importing close to 50 million tons each year, and this figure is expected to increase year on year.
The United States of America are not far behind China when it comes to the manufacturing of crude steel, but as with the Chinese, the Americans also have to import millions of tons every year. In fact, America sits in second place when it comes to importing steel, surpassed only by the Chinese. With steel manufacturers under so much pressure to meet an ever increasing demand, one can only assume there must be countless steel suppliers cutting corners, not only to meet demand, but also to increase their own profits.
How can any business be sure they are really getting the grade of steel they ordered, because let’s face it; with so much demand, there will inevitably be dishonest suppliers about. If or when this happens, who actually pays the price? Certainly not the steel suppliers! In the vast majority of cases, it’s the man on the street that suffers, because the inferior quality will only become apparent later after it’s been used and subjected to some wear and tear.
Let’s consider a very basic example. Let’s for instance say you fabricate , and unbeknownst to you, your steel supplier is delivering low grade steel which is labeled as being high grade steel. The gate manufacturer unknowingly uses that steel, and then sells their gates as per usual. When those gates start degrading a few months later, it’s the buyers who will be faced with the problem of having to replace their gates.
What we’ve just looked at is a very simple example. Now just try to imagine what the consequences could be like if a major construction company, tasked with erecting a massive suspension bridge, where supplied with steel of an inferior grade of quality.
Reliability and dependability are also key issues for businesses that rely on the use of steel supplies. Large construction companies for example, will more often than not be expected to pay penalties if the fall behind schedule. Usually, these penalties involve huge amounts of money, because a delay in construct can have a phenomenal knock on effect for other companies that are also involved in the building process. The construction company therefore can’t risk running out of supplies.
When steel suppliers fail to deliver supplies on time, businesses can lose unimaginable sums of money. In summary, if your job is to order steel supplies, you need to make absolutely certain that you can rely 100% on your chosen supplier, and additionally, you should always have a backup plan just in case.
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