ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the results from the interviews with various project managers, firm executives, production and procurement managers involved in the supply chains for commodities that are clustered around the supply of steel to the construction site. Steel supply is integral to a number of firms as both core products and non-core products in the manufacturing or fabricating process and is now considered through a number of the chains on the projects. The market structure for steel fabricators is stratified – there are three levels of firms related to the size and complexity of the project and both firms confirmed this market stratification. The competitive advantage of the firms can vary from project to project and can be attributed to a variety of situations. For example, it may rely upon the nature of current demand in the market; the type of commodity required; the other commodities supplied; the history of the relationship and/or additional design services.
