Investment strategy bearing fruit

Roba Metals was established as a family business in 1937. Its initial focus was on metals recycling and the sale of steel sheets, but a diversification strategy was embarked upon in the 1980s, leading to a flourishing business in non-ferrous metals, stainless steel and aluminium all over Europe. Today, the company – still a family business – operates service and sales centres in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Poland, as well as non-ferrous metals production plants in both the Netherlands and Belgium.

The service centre in Genk (Belgium) was set up in 1996. It converts steel, stainless steel and aluminium coils into flat sheeting and strips for use in a wide variety of products, including home appliances, tanks and silos, automotive parts, and food and pharmacy process equipment.

A strategy of keeping stocks

Unlike most of its competitors, the plant keeps significant onsite inventories of both coils and finished products, and this is deliberate company strategy. Maurice Rothkrantz explains: “In our sector, there has been a trend towards trimming inventory levels to cut costs, especially during the recession. But in many cases, this has eroded supply chain flexibility, which is of utmost importance if we are to successfully deal with the changes going on in downstream markets. By contrast, our sustained policy of keeping stocks has helped us remain flexible.”

Keeping pace with the recovering economy

Recent investment in infrastructure has been made to further strengthen the plant’s competitiveness. Here, Maurice Rothkrantz hails the long-term vision of a family business like Roba Metals: “Despite the recession and the poor economic outlook, the Board of Directors was courageous enough to decide to construct a 3500 m² steel coil and sheets storage facility as well as a 5000 m² extension of our stainless steel and aluminium service unit. This investment is now paying off, since it allows us to keep pace with the recovering economy.”