WHX Competition
Now Viewing WHX's competition in: Fabricated Metal Parts Manufacturing (primary)
Call Preparation Questions
Customers, Marketing, Pricing, Competition
Who are the major users (industries or specific companies) of the company's products? - Major customers are often in the auto, aerospace, appliance, machinery, and construction industries.
How many customers does the company have? How dependent is the company on its top few customers? - Many companies supply only a handful of products to a few large customers. Such companies are de-facto manufacturing subsidiaries of their customers.
Does the company supply some customers under long-term contracts? - These are common in the auto and aerospace industries.
How does the company find new customers? - A company sales force, manufacturers representatives, and trade shows are common.
Does the company make standard products or are products made to order for each customer? - Sales often depend on a company having the design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities to make the product to specification and on time.
Competitive Landscape
Demand is driven largely by the needs of other industrial companies, and is therefore linked to economic growth. The profitability of individual companies depends on technical expertise and efficient manufacturing. Large companies have economies of scale in purchasing raw materials. The specialized nature and use of many products allows smaller companies to compete effectively.
Full Industry Overview For Fabricated Metal Parts Manufacturing
Business Challenges
CRITICAL ISSUES
Demand Depends on US Manufacturing Activity - Demand for fabricated metal parts is heavily driven by US manufacturing levels, especially for equipment and machinery. US production of fabricated metal products dropped 9 percent during a recent recession. A greater reliance on low-cost overseas manufacture has cut the market for US metal products.
Import Competition Keeps Prices Low - Imports of simple metal products, such as plumbing fixtures, tools, and hardware, have increased from nations like China that have access to low-cost raw materials and labor. Imports of fabricated metal products from China increased nearly 645 percent in the last decade.
Industries Where WHX Competes
- Industrial Manufacturing
- Metal Fabrication(primary)
- Chemicals
- Metals & Mining
