3 Proven Ways for Metal Manufacturers to Expand Internationally and get new clients!

13 March 2025

In 2024, the global market for metal exports is valued at more than $16.26 billion, with more than 39,000 suppliers contributing to this dynamic industry. According to the OEC, metals trade accounts for 7.37% of total global trade.

Top 10 importing countries

In 2024, the major markets in the metals industry were:

1. Germany
2. Italy
3. United Kingdom
4. France
5. United States
6. China
7. Canada
8. Brazil
9. Japan
10. India

Strategies for metal manufacturers to grow globally and attract new customers

Way 1: Comprehensive international online presence

These days, no company can expect to succeed without a quality digital visibility. It doesn’t take much time and financial resources to create one – all you need to do is take advantage of specialized international B2B platforms that allow you to launch an online company showcase in different languages.

Way 2. In-depth market researches

Before you start business expansion, you need to study the potential market and assess your ability to enter it with a competitive offer. You don’t have to do it all by yourself – Kompass will help you to conduct preliminary monitoring and provide you with a market ranking report for any of the countries you may be interested in.

Way 3. Up-to-date online prospecting

Our EasyBusiness platform for online B2B prospecting and lead generation allows you to generate prospect lists for any of 70 countries in a few clicks, export the data to your CRM system and prepare targeted email campaigns to enter a new market.

With the Sales Accelerator module, you will be able to launch an online sales department that controls all stages of the B2B sales pipeline: from target audience segmentation and lead generation to monitoring results at each stage of the sales funnel.

Metal Industry Trends in 2025 to Take into Account

Alarming trends in 2025 could be broad defensive measures around the world in anticipation of looming trade wars:

• The expected tightening of the tariff rate quotas (TRQ) system in the EU in April 2025
• The elimination of Section 232 exemptions for a number of countries following Trump’s return to the White House
• Turkey’s increase in import tariffs on steel products in January (up to 15% on hot-rolled coil, up to 17% on cold-rolled coil, up to 20% on galvanized coil)
• China’s export restrictions on a number of metals
• India’s intention to introduce broad import duties on steel.

Positive trends include the ever-increasing pace of digital transformation in the metals industry. Crowe’s recent METALCON 2024 report identified significant trends in the adoption of advanced technologies by metal manufacturers, with an increasing focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) modernization.

1.        Growing adoption of artificial intelligence

Over the past two years, AI adoption has grown from 7% to 24%, reflecting a growing interest in solutions beyond traditional automation.

When asked which technologies should be implemented in the next few years to boost their industrial growth, 41% of respondents put AI at the top of their priority list. However, 28% admitted that they don’t know enough about AI to take action, indicating that there is still a gap between intentions and implementation capabilities.

Artificial intelligence is a key part of trends that could impact the mining and metals sector in the next 12-18 months, according to Deloitte’s Tracking the Trends 2025 report.

2.        Undertaking ERP system upgrades

ERP systems play a key role in the efficiency of metalworking companies, yet according to the Crowe report, 50% of companies have not updated their ERP systems for at least five years. Many of these systems have not been updated in more than a decade, demonstrating a glaring gap between the need to modernize and the actual investment.

An outdated ERP not only limits automation capabilities, but also makes it difficult to integrate modern solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) or business intelligence (BI) tools.

3. Lack of roadmap

One of the alarming revelations of the report is that 48% of companies do not have a clear roadmap for their digital transformation. This means that almost half of companies in this sector are moving forward without a clear strategy, which risks exposing them to rapid change in the market.

In a sector where competition is based on efficiency and innovation, the lack of a digital transformation plan could jeopardize their ability to remain competitive.

Reasons to start metal exporting in 2025

International expansion in 2025 is not just an alternative, but a great opportunity to overcome local barriers and expand without restrictions.

1. Access to new customers and markets

By starting to expand into international markets, metal companies open doors to thousands of new clients and customers, expanding their customer database and achieving significant increases in sales.

2. Opportunities for innovation and adaptation

Entering new markets often forces companies to adapt their products or services to local requirements, which can lead to innovations and improvements that ultimately benefit all their customers.

3. Increased competitiveness

International pressures and competition on a global level pressurize companies to innovate and adapt to the requirements of more developed markets, which often leads to significant improvements in their products or services.

4. Strengthening brand and reputation

An international presence increases brand awareness and adds prestige and credibility to the industry. A brand that engages in exporting is perceived as a solid, innovative and globally competitive company.

A company that ventures into exporting in 2025 will not only be perceived as solid and innovative, but also as a company that can compete at the highest level, gaining the trust of international customers and partners.

5. Capitalizing on the potential of digital prospecting and E-commerce

The continuous growth of e-commerce and digitalization makes exporting easier even for small and medium-sized companies. By 2025, digital platforms and online B2B marketplaces will provide faster and cheaper access to international markets, removing many traditional barriers and making the supply chain cheaper to build.

Thanks to various B2B marketplaces, SMEs can access foreign markets without the need for large infrastructure and solid marketing investments.

In addition, using email marketing campaigns that target specific international segments helps to attract potential customers and optimize the process of entering new markets.

Conclusion

The route to start exporting in 2025 may seem complicated, but every step is worth it. Start by carefully analyzing your target markets (we can help you choose the most promising countries), develop the export strategy, adapt to local needs, and seek support and subsidies to ease your export journey.

Remember, exporting is about building strong relationships and carving out a niche in new markets. We are ready to accompany you every step of the way, let’s discuss how we can help you succeed internationally!

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