Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | M | Metal Center News

U.S. metals distributors testing China's waters: so far, only a handful of North American service centers have dipped their toe in the Chinese pond, hoping to make an early splash in this vast and emerging market.

Article Excerpt
U.S. SERVICE CENTERS CONTINUE to increase their presence in China, encouraged by multinational manufacturers seeking Western-style products and services for their Chinese affiliates.

"There are tremendous opportunities in China, and everyone will be trying to capitalize on that sooner rather than later," says Brian Napier, manager of international sales for TW Metals Inc., Exton, Pa.

TW Metals has been doing business in China in one way or another for the past 15 years, though it does not currently have a facility there. For the past two years, TW has been working through a sales representative based full-time in China, and plans to add a second representative soon to help build its Chinese sales. TW also is considering construction of a new distribution facility in association with its U.K.-based Philip Cornes Group subsidiary. "It hasn't been determined where and when," says Napier, "but it's definitely on the horizon for TW Metals."

Notable among the handful of American metals distributors currently doing business there, Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. and Ryerson Inc. have established a physical presence in China through joint ventures with Asian partners.

In early March, Los Angeles-based Reliance acquired Everest Metals (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., located about an hour and a half northeast of Shanghai. Reliance will incorporate Everest into Reliance Pan Pacific Pte. Ltd., a 70-30 joint venture with Singapore-based Manufacturing Network Pte....

View this article FREE - Now for a Limited Time, try Goliath Business News
Free for 3 Days!