Steel Construction and Steel Trading Industry 2017 - Topics and Trends

A turbulent year lies behind us and there is no reason to assume that the year ahead could be less eventful. Quite the contrary - although the mood among the German structural steel builders is basically good and the order situation is generally regarded as positive. However, this does not mislead the fact that the challenges for the industry (such as rising material prices, new materials, standards and directives, skills shortages and automation) are increasing. This means that also the requirements for steel construction companies will increase regarding flexibility, dynamics and innovation. Due to new manufacturing and assembly technologies and innovative steel qualities steel construction has long since become a high-tech industry.
This was also one of the topics at BAU 2017 (16 - 21-01-2017 in Munich), which is traditionally an important trend fair for the structural steel fabrication industry. For example, the event "Efficiency 4.0 - Designing the future with steel" reflected the entire process chain - from steel production to steel trading. Due to rising raw material costs on the international markets price development in 2017 will not be easy for German and European steel construction and steel trading companies.
Therefor it is particularly important to secure competitive advantages, especially through competence, quality and reliability, while at the same time bring into sharper focus new business segments and market requirements. Also a convincing personnel development in the own ranks is an important good which must be kept. It is true that new modern structural steel machinery can be used to alleviate staffing gaps and skills shortages, but new lines and modern software also mean higher qualification requirements.
But there are rays of hope as well: as one example has to be mentioned the large range of bridge construction, which will now benefit from a significant increase in investment as a result of neglected infrastructure measures in the public sector. Here, too, patience is necessary and only powerful innovative companies are able to realize these often large projects.
As an outlook for 2017 one thing is certain: it remains exciting - the demands on innovation, digitalization and market knowledge are increasing. Steel construction and steel trading industry are facing challenges and opportunities that together we have to master and to take.
The Nenok team in Cologne remains your reliable and competent partner for used structural steel machinery and tools for steel processing - as it has been for decades. Take advantage of our market knowledge to purchase and sell used machines.