In 13 years - 31% of the operators, but volumes for merchants have increased

How the stainless steel sales channels have changend in Italy over the last 10 years? The answer comes form a research conducted by two italian trade associations - Assofermet and Centro Inox - 13 years after their first sector inquiry, aiming to update the photograph of this articulate and deeply trasformed market.

Data comparison allows in fact to uncover some profound changes: first of all the 31% decline of operators - 75% of them working in the Northern regions - and the annual volume of product, which in 70% of cases doesn't exceed 5.000 tons.

Evidence of economic crisis in our country, as well, or even more, of the growing importance that Asian imports over this decade led to a reduction in margins and a growing tendency to reduce stocks.

A positive fact concerns the volumes: the overall have increased by 80.000 tons, those who recorded the best improvement in trades were centers integrated to steel mills, while independent traders dropped to 64.000 tons. Unchanged the proportional mix between long and plan products, with the first at 14%, while the latter absorbs the remaining 86% of the whole

The survey also analyzed the upcoming trends for main market sectors: if construction and household appliances seem at the standstill, there is growth room for niches such as pharmaceuticals and treatment of the waters. In general, specialized transforming companies that can provide high-level finished or semi-finished products will be favoured, as well as those who so far have based their positive trend on exports.