Mead Metals Blog: Purchasing Life

4 Time Management Tips for Purchasing Managers

Posted by: Mark Anderson on September 2, 2022 | 3 min. read

When a customer places an order, it’s up to you to find a supplier who can fulfill it. Although that may sound simple, time management is essential in the procurement process.

How Long Does Copper Last Outside?

Posted by: Dani Weinhandl on August 31, 2022 | 2 min. read

As many of us in the industry know, Copper (CU) tends to be one of the most sought-after metals for outdoor use. Copper’s properties make it durable and highly resistant to corrosion and weather, allowing it to stand the test of time for hundreds to thousands of years. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why many manufacturers, architects, and construction professionals rely on copper for outdoor applications.

How Market Volatility Affects Steel Prices and What That Means for Order Quantities

Posted by: Brian Rothstein on July 20, 2022 | 3 min. read

If you’ve paid any attention to the news over the past two years, you’ve noticed markets across many industries falling victim to volatility brought on by lagging production and increased demand. Many influences have caused this, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the potential recessions many countries are currently facing. 

Steel is no stranger to fluctuating market conditions, and many fear the possibility of a volatile steel market where demand and price plummet, leaving suppliers with large quantities of steel and nobody to purchase. Let’s look at what market volatility is, what it means to the steel industry, what some of the causes may be, and how it affects demand and price. 

5 Things to Look for in a Trusted Metal Service Center

Posted by: Dani Weinhandl on July 13, 2022 | 2 min. read

Knowing the signs of a trustworthy metal service center will help you get the materials you need, in the quality and quantity your project requires. Here are five signs of a trustworthy service center:

How to Read Mill Test Reports [Example]

Posted by: Dani Weinhandl on December 14, 2020 | 2 min. read

What is It? 

Mill test reports detail an important step in a metal product's journey: the step from the mill that melted the metal to the service center the mill sold the metal to. A mill test report is a quality assurance document that certifies a metal product's chemical and physical properties. Below, I'll outline what you typically see in a mill test report. 

2 Cases Where Tight Metal Tolerance is Critical

Posted by: Jim Wilber on November 8, 2017 | 2 min. read

We work with lots of customers who require tight tolerances on their metal products. Tight metal tolerances can be critical for any number of reasons, and I'll discuss a few of those reasons below. After that, I'll cover how Mead Metals helps customers meet their tight tolerance needs. But first, the basics.