Metals companies—whether in steel, aluminum, copper, or other base metals (such as nickel, zinc, chrome, or lithium)—must shape strategy and drive performance in an environment of unprecedented volatility driven by many global factors such as changing trade-flow patterns, climate change, and continuous cost pressure.
Metals value chains are “slivering” into distinct slices, each with its own economics, while radical shifts in global supply-and-demand patterns mean producers must adapt to a multispeed world. There is no one path to sustainable value creation; each company must tailor its agenda for moving ahead—including growth across new markets and products—and focus on operational excellence and agility in the face of uncertainty.