Longstanding Partnership: Merkt and ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Altensteig

An important customer group for ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Altensteig is manufacturers of office furniture components. We have a particularly long and close partnership with Konrad Merkt GmbH. For over 70 years, we have been collaborating with this family business, delivering an average of 1,200 to 1,500 tons of pipes in 130 different dimensions annually to Spaichingen, Baden-Württemberg. These pipes are processed into platform parts, for example, for height-adjustable desks, in the 15,000 square meter facility.

One of the requirements is an impeccable surface without scratches or other damages such as grooves or flash rust. This is primarily because they are visible parts and the surfaces must be defect-free to be painted flawlessly after welding in the new and modern powder coating facility. The finished parts are assembled or welded together in Merkt's factory according to the order requirements. Subsequently, they are delivered to customers, including those in the wood manufacturing sector, who mount the tabletop onto the support system.

Sustainability is particularly important to Merkt and is firmly embedded in all areas of the company. The distance of only 90 kilometers between Spaichingen and Altensteig not only saves transportation costs but also reduces CO2 emissions. In addition to the short distance between the two companies, the flexible storage solution provided by ArcelorMittal Tubular Products is also noteworthy. Storing pipes in the required 130 dimensions would exceed Merkt's capacity. For this reason, the family business takes advantage of the option to store the necessary goods in Altensteig and have them delivered by truck as needed. "This flexibility is a decisive competitive advantage for us as a medium-sized enterprise, which speaks for ArcelorMittal," emphasizes managing director Konrad Merkt.