Page 35 - Best of 2019 English

He does, however, believe the Group is capable of regaining lost ground in France. “Our flat steel products in particular have an excellent reputation here based on quality and delivery reliability,” says Dirk Weyrather. Dr. Sebastian Bross, Vice Chairman of Salzgitter Flachstahl and responsible for sales and logistics, agrees with him: “Together with Salzgitter Mannes- mann France we’ll be working on enhancing the presence of our high-quality steel grades among French customers”. Dirk Weyrather has already made progress in this area: “We’ve managed to initiate the homologation process with PSA and Peugeot in connection with technical specifica- tions for deliveries.”
not entirely able to cast off doubts that current availability will not last if the demand for steel starts to increase again in the German automo- tive industry.”
Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH also enjoys a very good reputation in France. The company has been supplying French bridge construction and engineering companies with heavy plate for building projects in France and overseas since 2018. “Another product successfully sold to our French customers are the so-called pipe-in-pipes made by Borusan Mannesmann Boru. They’re regularly sold to the Paris-based engineering company Perenco and mostly put to use in oil
He’s also well aware of just how tenuous such de- velopments are, however. “Our French customers are certainly regaining confidence, but they’re
France in figures
and gas wells in Africa and Latin America,” says Dirk
Population: 64.7 million.
Surface area: 632,934 km2 (incl. overseas territories)
By comparison – Germany: population 82.6 million, surface area 357,050 km
Weyrather. Person-to-person
customer contact is crucial here. “The steel trade still thrives more
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