8 08, 2024

The Role of the Steel Service Center for OEMs

2024-08-21T19:50:57+00:00August 8th, 2024|News Blog|

 

For companies that make original equipment (OEMs), finding the best materials is more than just important — it gives them an edge over others. Steel service centers for OEMs, like National Material Company (NMC), are essential. They ensure OEMs get the best steel that fits their needs, helping them work better, make more profit, and improve operations.

Steel service centers like NMC bridge the gap between steel mills and OEMs, offering precision cutting, slitting, and processing. This partnership allows OEMs to focus on core activities while trusting service centers for consistent, ready-to-use materials. This blog explores the role of a steel service center for OEMs, highlighting how NMC streamlines operations, improves product quality, and reduces costs.

 

What Does it Mean to Be an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)?

 

An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) produces parts or components that another company incorporates into its products, which are then sold under that company’s brand. OEMs are common in industries such as automotive and computing.

For example, a branded laptop might source processors or memory modules from an OEM. OEMs typically produce parts for value-added resellers (VARs), focusing on manufacturing rather than the final product design.

Historically, OEMs have sold primarily to other businesses rather than directly to consumers. However, some OEMs now also sell parts directly for consumer repairs.

 

What are Alternatives to OEM Parts?

 

Ensuring a steady supply of cost-effective spare parts is critical for any manufacturing operation. Managing spare parts inventory represents a significant and inevitable cost for companies utilizing industrial machinery.

While OEMs might be the go-to for all necessary spares and components, the market offers other alternatives such as OE, ODM, and aftermarket parts.

 

OE Components:

 

Produced by a different company but meet the same factory standards as OEM parts. 

ODM (Original Design Manufacturer):

An original design manufacturer (ODM) is distinct from an OEM. ODMs create products based on a client’s specifications, which the client then sells under their brand. ODMs have less design leeway than OEMs because they work within client-provided specifications. However, this model benefits from reduced R&D costs, lowering consumer prices.

Aftermarket:

While OEMs produce original equipment, aftermarket manufacturers create products compatible with OEM parts. In essence, aftermarket parts are non-original replacements made by companies — either local or international — without the authorization of the original manufacturers. These parts are often less expensive but may not guarantee the same level of performance as OEM products.

 

What are the Advantages of Purchasing OEM Products?

 

Superior quality: OEM products, crafted by the original creators, offer unmatched quality compared to alternatives. The premium price reflects their superior construction.

Longevity: Built to last, OEM products, such as spare tires, ensure the material’s quality and durability.

Extended service life: OEM components generally have a longer service life […]

8 02, 2024

New Year, Great Outlook for Metals Processor National Material Company

2024-02-04T19:21:16+00:00February 8th, 2024|News Blog|

So what exactly makes National Material Company a top-of-the-line metals processor? Read on to find out.

The world we live in today has been greatly influenced by the steel industry, a legacy that all began in the Iron Age, when humans discovered the power of iron. During that time, steel production was still initially time-consuming and expensive. However, a significant turning point arrived with the introduction of the Bessemer converter. The game-changer came in the mid-19th century, revolutionizing steel manufacturing by making it more accessible and cost-effective. This innovation spurred rapid growth and enabled steel’s critical role in constructing everything from skyscrapers to intricate machinery, profoundly impacting society.

The modern steel industry is a sophisticated and advanced sector, characterized by numerous processes. Over the years, multiple advancements have significantly enhanced the efficiency, sustainability, and affordability of metals and steel processing.

National Material Company: Your Leading Metals Processor

National Material Company is North America’s leading metal processor and service provider with a rich history dating back to 1964. What was once a steel service center for electrical grade steel in Chicago, NMC has impressively expanded its capabilities to all types of flat-rolled steel processing. Over the years, they have built several processing facilities in the United States, making their mark in the flat-rolled steel processing and supply chain management sectors.

Today, National Material Company is recognized as a top choice for customers seeking high-quality metal processing services. Their reputation as a reliable metal processor is strengthened by a skilled team, state-of-the-art equipment, and extensive storage capabilities. With multiple locations across the U.S., they efficiently and cost-effectively meet the diverse needs of their clients. NMC’s commitment to excellence, combined with nearly six decades of experience, makes them an invaluable partner in the metals & steel service industry.

Discover a vast array of solutions, offerings, and expertise that NMC can bring to the table:

Galvanized Steel

NMC’s galvanized steel processing capabilities produce a high-quality metal products treated with zinc to make it corrosion and rust-resistant. Therefore, it will last longer than regular steel. The zinc coating helps to protect the steel from harmful elements that can cause corrosion and rust. This makes it a reliable and durable material for any project. Its durability in withstanding harsh weather conditions makes it so popular to an array of industries. These include automotive, construction, wind and solar, energy, and telecommunications.

Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS)

Secondly, one of NMC’s most exciting capabilities is the ability to process advanced high-strength steel (AHSS). Engineers have crafted this special steel to exhibit remarkable strength and lightness by utilizing chemical compositions and manufacturing processes. AHSS can form into complex shapes, thereby enabling manufacturers to decrease the number of individual parts required to create a product. It’s perfect for meeting the automotive industry’s strict regulations and helping manufacturers reduce emissions, improve safety, and enhance fuel economy.

Steel Supply

[…]

14 03, 2022

Metals Processing: Advantages of Cold Rolled Steel

2022-08-05T16:30:32+00:00March 14th, 2022|News Blog|

There are many steps required in metal processing in order to achieve a high-quality product. American steel processor, National Material Company (NMC), believes there can be no exception to this rule. Steel is an alloy that is a mixture of both iron and carbon and it is durable, sustainable, and highly desired by many industries. Formal specifications and different grades of steel can affect the performance and use of the metal, but there are additional techniques within the metals’ processing that can alter the strength and finish. In this article, we will focus on one technique known as cold rolling.

Engineers and designers alike must decide on the type of metal they will need to begin work on their projects. Cold rolled steel for many reasons might be the ideal metal. “Cold rolled” refers to the process the steel undergoes before becoming the final product. The temperature is not what we may consider “cold.” Instead, the entire process occurs at room temperature and involves applying great pressure to the steel. However, this does not mean cold rolled steel never experiences its recrystallization temperature. In fact, cold rolled steel endures extreme temperatures and compression rollers just like hot rolled steel. Cold rolled steel simply undergoes more processes once it has cooled down to get exact dimensions and better surface qualities. In many cases, steel may undergo processes like rolling, turning, grinding, and polishing. Each one gives the steel a unique finish.

There are many advantages of cold rolled steel, such as increased strength. (Read about Advanced High Strength Steel, or “AHSS” here.) The compression of the steel at room temperature hardens the strain, giving the metal significant strength when compared to other types of steel. That being said, the steel is not needlessly thick to create this strength. Cold rolling allows for tighter tolerances not found within other steel manufacturing. In other words, the metal will have thinner walls without sacrificing integrity.

One of cold rolled steel’s most desirable aspects is its aesthetics. The cold rolling process enables metal processors like National Material Company to improve the surface finish. It leaves a smooth surface with few imperfections that are ideal if a project requires visual appeal. An excellent surface is great not just for its beauty, however. Cold rolled steel is used in the construction of bridges due to fewer visible surface flaws.

Additionally, cold rolled steel is ideal for projects that require more precision and need to be durable. Bars created with this technique have well-refined edges, and tubes are very straight with excellent concentric uniformity.

Cold rolled steel can be found across many industries today. It is used in parts for home appliances, roof and wall systems, metal furniture, aerospace structural members, and a wide scope of applications too numerous to list. Despite the many steps within the cold rolling process, cold rolled steel has a short manufacturing time and can be delivered promptly so customers can begin work on their projects quickly.

National Material Company […]

7 10, 2021

Steel Supply Chain Management: National Material Company

2021-10-07T18:09:59+00:00October 7th, 2021|News Blog, NMC Media|

As a leader in supply-chain management, just-in-time programs, and inventory control, National Material Company is the perfect choice for any customer in search of the best experience possible. A skilled workforce, state-of-the-art metals processing machinery, and warehouse storage capabilities make NMC the company to compete with.

National Material Company has a particularly strong focus on delivering additional value to their customers — delivering excellence at every step in the supply chain — maximizing quality, cost, and speed.

Metal Processing:

  • Slitting
  • Pickling
  • Blanking
  • Galvanizing

Learn more

Logistics Optimization:

Materials from A to B at lowest possible cost for the Customer

    • Cost-efficiently linking 22 plants, steel mills, and a certified processor network
    • Total freight cost in 1 invoice: mill to processor to OEM
    • Custom-designed for all NMC programs

Pricing Programs:

NMC provides numerous pricing options

  • CRU-indexed contracts allow price to change
  • Directed-buy pricing – OEM negotiates price with mill, NMC buys metal at “directed” price
  • Firm price for a defined period
  • Resale option– OEM negotiates price with mill, processor “resells” back to OEM at a price that includes value-added services
  • Spot pricing– one-time purchase with quick turnaround
  • Hedging/futures— eliminates price volatility

Value Added / Value Engineering:

Providing value over & above the price of the steel

  • Part appraisals
  • Mass reduction—light weighting
  • Product & process training
  • And more

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI):

Increases accuracy and efficiency of transactions

  • Automated transaction processing
  • Eliminates keystroke errors

Outsourced parts:

Using a network of partners, NMC can provide

  • Stamping
  • Laser
  • Roll form
  • Press break
  • Welding
  • And more…

About Parent Company National Material L.P.

Since its founding in 1964, National Material Limited Partnership has grown to over 30 business units and is now one of the largest suppliers of metals in North America. The National Material group of industrial businesses consists of the Steel Group, Stainless and Alloys Group, Raw Material Trading Group, Aluminum Group, and Related Operations.

Please visit us at www.nationalmaterial.com or call (U.S.) 847-806-7200 to […]

8 07, 2021

Sustainable Steel Industry: Build Using Steel

2021-07-08T17:15:17+00:00July 8th, 2021|News Blog, NMC Media|

The steel industry, as one of the globe’s premier industries in size and history, has taken its place of leadership in transforming itself towards sustainability. Previously identified as a smokestack industry, the steel industry has introduced new technologies and practices in becoming a green industry of sustainable steel.

Elon Musk has stated that environmental concerns “supersede political parties, race, creed, religion, it doesn’t matter. If we do not solve the environment, we’re all damned.” Or as Cameron Sinclair put it, “For 90 percent of the world, sustainability is a matter of survival.” For historian Thomas Fuller, the idea is very simple, “We never know the worth of water ‘til the well is dry.”

One way to see the huge strides the steel industry has taken is by looking at structural steel used in green construction. In particular, the “wood versus steel debate” sheds light on all the different aspects that need to be accounted for when considering sustainability and carbon neutrality.

For example, care must be taken to examine all the details involved with a product’s complete lifecycle. The extraction, manufacturing, and transportation of the materials must be calculated, but also the longevity, disposability, and reusability. Furthermore, all derivative processes must be considered. If the electricity used in steel plants is solar or wind energy, the steel industry becomes more sustainable without directly changing itself, just by modifying tangential processes. The same goes for the wood industry. Not all forest management practices are created equal, and the care taken in logging and replanting trees can radically change the sustainable nature of a material like wood.

By paying attention to all these details, the structural steel industry has decreased its carbon footprint per ton by 36%, lowered energy intensity per ton by 31%, and decreased greenhouse gas emissions per ton by 45%.

One of the most promising aspects of modern American steel processing is recycling, with steel being 100% recyclable. As reported by Architect Magazine, “The American Institute of Steel Construction estimates that 98% of structural steel from demolished buildings is recovered and recycled into new steel products. As such, domestically produced structural steel, which comes from electric arc furnace (EAF) mills, boasts a recycled content of 93%.” Because of steel’s longevity, in fact, one of the major bottlenecks in steel recycling is that, despite 98% of structural steel being recycled, finding enough scrap globally for the potential output of electric arc furnaces can be a problem.

Through innovation and design, the steel industry hopes to reach the ultimate goal: carbon neutrality. It is a fitting goal for an industry with a trajectory as important as steel. If we indeed turn this next century into the “Green Century,” the innovators of our times will become the heroes of the future. That, NMC believes, is a goal worth fighting for.

At NMC our steel slitting, cold rolled steel, hot rolled steel, and all our steel processes aim to continue the tradition of […]

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