Developing the market for steel products in construction

Abstract

Construction, which includes buildings of all types, bridges, and now off-shore structures, illustrates the diverse nature of the steel industry's markets demanding a wide variety of products. The ability to market steel in construction depends on having the right products available and developing new products to meet future customer requirements. Additionally, although steel leaves the producer as a finished product it is only a raw material for other industries and the marketing of steel must, in general, be aimed at influencing the purchasing decision in favour of steel. The construction industry exhibits a major separation of design and purchasing functions unusual in other markets. Many countries have found it necessary to establish a central organisation to act as an interface between the steel maker and the construction industry so that the potential market for steel can be fully exploited. In the UK the British Steel Corporation established CONSTRADO (Contructional Steel Research and Development Organisation) to develop the market for all forms of steel in construction.