One of our main services is the collection, processing and analysis of the following market data relevant to specialty steel: Raw material market developments (chrome, nickel, molybdenum, scrap; also: cobalt, titanium, vanadium, tungsten)

Economic situation in general and in the specialty steel consuming sectors (focus: automotive, mechanical and plant engineering, chemicals, construction)

Foreign trade: Imports and exports (EU-27) by stainless steel products (flat, long and tube products with differentiation by sub-products)

EHV stock statistics (quantitative sales and stock levels)

In recent years, foreign trade restrictions in the steel sector have increased significantly worldwide. As a result, many stainless steel products are now also affected by trade policy measures (anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties, and follow-up measures to safeguard measures). This poses particularly significant challenges for the European steel distribution sector with regard to imports from third countries. These entail business risks: in the event of a lack of information, every company faces the risk of having to pay substantial duties.

We are constantly on the ball in this regard, drawing on years of experience and a clear understanding of the risks facing our member companies: Continuous monitoring of international trade policy developments (trade press, EU sources, association bulletins).
Monitoring the successor regulations to the safeguard measures, which come into force on 1 July 2026: regular, timely reports on the current utilisation of the quotas.

The climate policy challenges for the entire steel industry are increasing rapidly: In June 2022, the EU ministers launched one of the most comprehensive climate protection packages in the history of the EU. They agreed on far-reaching tightening of existing climate protection requirements. For example, the amount of CO2 certificates in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme will be gradually reduced by 61% (previously 43%) by 2030 compared to 2005. This tightening affects EU steel producers in particular. But steel distribution will also face new challenges, because third-country imports are to be included in the climate protection measures in the future: From 1.1.2023, the EU will introduce a CO2 border adjustment mechanism (CBAM, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), initially with a transition phase of three years. In this phase, there will initially “only” be an additional administrative burden for importing companies. Subsequently, steel imports from third countries that cause high CO2 emissions will become more expensive.

Member companies have the opportunity for personal contacts in a competitive space. We offer specialist group meetings, conferences and, along with the Informationsstelle Edelstahl Rostfrei (ISER) and the publishing house Focus Rostfrei, we are the organisers of the Düsseldorfer Edelstahltage, which has established itself as an important industry event.

We give lectures at events, accompany training courses and, if required, are also active directly on site at our member companies to impart knowledge.