What is a steel distributor?
Related Terms
Metal Service Center
A metal service center is a distributor that buys metal in large quantities from mills and resells it in smaller quantities with value-added processing such as cutting, sawing, and slitting.
Lead Time
Lead time is the time between placing an order and receiving the material. For service centers, lead times range from same-day (stock items) to 6+ weeks (mill orders or specialty alloys).
Mill Test Report(MTR)
A mill test report (MTR) is a quality document provided by a metal manufacturer that certifies the chemical composition and mechanical properties of a batch of metal. Required for aerospace, defense, and many industrial applications.
Request for Quote(RFQ)
An RFQ (Request for Quote) is a document a buyer sends to suppliers asking for pricing on a specific material, quantity, and specification. It is the standard first step in B2B metal purchasing.