Market Monitor - Focus on steel and metals - Belgium

Market Monitor

  • Belgium
  • Metals,
  • Steel

10th September 2015

Structural overcapacity in the industry had a negative effect on businesses´ profit margins in 2014, and this negative trend is expected to continue in 2015.

  • In 2014 Belgian steel and metals businesses were negatively affected by decreased orders from their main buyer industries construction and automotive. Since the beginning of 2015 shipments have increased again, but this rebound is offset by lower sales prices. At least the sector is helped by lower commodity prices.
  • The average payment duration in the steel/metals sector is 90 days. Payment delays and non-payment cases have increased in H2 of 2014, and are expected to rise further in the coming months, as the economic conditions for automotive and construction, as the main sectors for buyers of steel and metals products, are expected to remain subdued.
  • Over the last couple of months we recorded increasing insolvencies, mainly in the metals manufacturing subsector. That said, steel/metals business failures are expected to level off in H2 of 2015.
  • In general, our underwriting stance remains neutral for steel and metals businesses, however we have become more cautious on the metals manufacturing segment, scrutinising buyers in this subsector more closely. Even very well established metals manufacturing companies have faced or are facing problems due to limited orders.

 

Related documents

Disclaimer, no warranties and exclusion of liability

Atradius disclaims any representations or warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose of (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO) any information contained on or provided via this Web Site and/or any service described or promoted on this Web Site, including warranties with respect to infringement of any patent, copyright, or other rights of third parties. Atradius shall not be liable for any injury, loss, damage or expense arising out of any access to or use of this Web Site or any site linked to or from this Web Site, including, without limitation, any loss of profit, indirect, incidental or consequential loss. Atradius furthermore shall not be liable for persons, property damage or especially direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, immediate or subsequent (pecuniary) loss. While Atradius has used reasonable efforts in maintaining a virus-free Web Site, it declines any liability for persons, property damage or especially direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, immediate or subsequent (pecuniary) loss which may result from transmission or downloading of computer viruses. Atradius cannot be held liable for hardware damage, loss of data, alteration of data, or downtime.