SSAB continues to expand its global – and local – presence. Recently, offices were established in Argentina and Colombia. The offices provide customers with personal contacts and support, and easy access to SSAB’s wealth of experience.
SSAB COLOMBIA SAS was established in Bogotá, Colombia to provide dealer and customer training, sales operations, technical support, product demonstrations, and customer events, along with logistical support and local inventory of the most important steel grades for the South American market. The operation is headed by Country Manager Julio Mejia, a mechanical engineer with more than 23 years’ experience in the steel, automotive, oil and plastic industries. With a population of nearly 47 million and a GDP growth rate of 4% (YOY 2013), Colombia’s industries are thriving, particularly mining, cement, yellow goods (dump bodies, trailers, heavy transport vehicles and agricultural equipment), automotive, tooling, construction, lifting, forestry, energy, rail, steel mills, and on- and off-shore drilling. These are all target markets for SSAB’s brands including Hardox wear plate, Weldox high-strength steel for demanding applications, Domex structural steel for sustainable and lightweight solutions, Docol cold-rolled steel for lightweight and safety applications, Toolox engineering and tool steel, and Armox protection plate.
At the opposite end of the subcontinent, SSAB Argentina S.R.L., Buenos Aires supports customers in both Argentina and neighboring Uruguay. Currently, customers are mainly from the heavy transport sector, but other industries are being targeted for the sale of thick plate (wear plate and structural steel). Argentina is a very attractive market with one of the largest economies in South America, a population of 41 million, and a GDP growth rate of 4.9% (YOY 2013). The Argentina office is responsible for all aspects of customer sales and technical support. The company is focused on growing the operation and developing new markets. Customers are supplied from inventories strategically located around the world or from mills producing plate to order.