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Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2024-2029)

ISIC 4662 March 2024 Spotlight Report

Revenue

€283.4bn

2019-2024 3.5 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Employees

505k

2019-2024 10.2 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Businesses

72,959

2019-2024 14.8 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Wages

€XX.Xbn

2019-2024 X.X %
2024-2029 X.X %

Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry analysis

Over the five years through 2024, European metal and metal ore wholesalers’ revenue is expected to dip by 3.5% to €283.4 billion, including a 4.3% contraction in 2024. COVID-19 significantly disrupted key downstream buying activity, with construction and manufacturing output stuttering, limiting demand for key metals like steel or aluminium. As the pandemic eased, investment in the two sectors picked up, helping to stimulate sales of metals. In line with a weakened travel industry, the aircraft industry has been slow to recover, constraining the need for metal parts like carbon fibre. Economic uncertainty spread among many European countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, sparking sales of precious metals like gold and silver, as they’re considered safe investments. Subdued economic growth and crippling central bank interest rate rises have stemmed investment in volatile assets like metals and metal ores, while new construction work is hard to come by.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe key trends

Construction and manufacturing output drives revenue.

 

A drop in demand in the construction and manufacturing sectors dents demand for structural metals like steel.

The transition to net zero creates opportunities for wholesalers.

 

‘Green’ metals will be central to the growth of wholesalers as companies seek to meet decarbonisation targets, with demand for metals like lithium likely to continue to grow rapidly.

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Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe

Industry Revenue

Total value and annual change from 2011-2029. Includes 5-year outlook.

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Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe market size (2019-2024)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 3.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €283.4bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Pockets of strong demand limit revenue decline in 2023

  • The Swiss-headquartered company Glencore reported in its 2023 half-year report that sales of silver, zinc and aluminium fell by 27%, 8% and 8%, respectively.

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Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

The shift to net zero will boost demand for 'green' metals

  • Green metals refer to a group of metals that are crucial for the development of clean energy technologies and infrastructure, which will help achieve net-zero emission goals by providing an alternative to fossil fuels.

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Revenue

€283.4bn

2019-2024 3.5 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Employees

505k

2019-2024 10.2 %
2024-2029 X.X %

Wages

€XX.Xbn

2019-2024 X.X %
2024-2029 X.X %

European Leaders & Laggards

Europe Job Growth CAGR: 10.2 % *
  • Job Growth

Top 5 Countries

  1. Russia +22.0%
  2. Lithuania +12.7%
  3. France +11.7%
  4. Belgium +9.0%
  5. Romania +8.2%

Bottom 5 Countries

  1. Greece -15.9%
  2. Bulgaria -12.5%
  3. Hungary -7.6%
  4. Latvia -4.8%
  5. Estonia -3.3%

* CAGR values are for the years 2019-2024.

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Biggest companies in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue (€m)
2024
Profit (€m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
ArcelorMittal SA
76,351.8
10,003.2
13.1
Glencore plc
236,429.0
21,421.1
9.1
Trafigura Ltd
286,760.5
11,470.4
4.0

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Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe

Products & Services Segmentation

Industry revenue broken down by key product and services lines.

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Top Questions Answered in this Report

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What is the market size of the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe in 2024?

The market size of the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe is €283.4bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry in 2024?

There are 72,959 businesses in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe, which has grown at a CAGR of 14.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe has been declining at a CAGR of 3.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe is expected to grow.

What does the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe include?

Ferrous metals and Non-ferrous metals are part of the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry.

Which countries have the most businesses in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe?

The European country with the most businesses in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry is Russia.

How competitive is the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling industry in Europe.

Related Industries

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Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Firms operating in the industry wholesale ferrous and non-ferrous metals and ores. They also wholesale semi-finished metal products, gold and other precious metals. Industry activities also include value-added services, including cutting and shaping of metal products.

Related Terms

Metal OreIngotNon-Ferrous

What's included in this industry?

Ferrous metalsNon-ferrous metalsPrecious metals and other metalsMetal ores

Companies

ArcelorMittal SAGlencore plcTrafigura Ltd

Industry Code

ISIC 2006

4662 - Wholesale of metals and metal ores in Europe

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Performance

Key Takeaways

Pockets of strong demand limit revenue decline in 2023

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Revenue Highlights

Trends
  • Revenue
  • 2024 Revenue Growth
  • Revenue Volatility

Employment Highlights

Trends
  • Employees
  • Employees per Business
  • Revenue per Employee

Business Highlights

Trends
  • Businesses
  • Employees per Business
  • Revenue per Business

Profit Highlights

Trends
  • Total Profit
  • Profit Margin
  • Profit per Business

Current Performance

Charts
  • Revenue in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Employees in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Business in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
  • Profit in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
Analysis

What's driving current industry performance in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry?


Outlook

Analysis

What's driving the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry outlook?


Volatility

Analysis

What influences volatility in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry?

Charts
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth Matrix

Life Cycle

Analysis

What determines the industry life cycle stage in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry?

Charts
  • Industry Life Cycle Matrix

Products and Markets

Highlights

Trends
  • Largest Market
  • Product Innovation

Key Takeaways

Specific metals have substantial roles to play in decarbonisation. Metals like lithium, which are crucial in the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles, are growing heavily in demand.

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Products and Services

Charts
  • Products and Services Segmentation
Analysis

How are the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry's products and services performing?

Analysis

What are innovations in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry's products and services?


Major Markets

Charts
  • Major Market Segmentation
Analysis

What influences demand in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry?


International Trade

Highlights

  • Largest Importer
  • Smallest Importer
  • Total Imports into Europe
  • Largest Exporter
  • Smallest Exporter
  • Total Exports into Europe
Heat maps
  • Industry Concentration of Imports by Country
  • Industry Concentration of Exports by Country
Data Tables

Value and annual change (%) included

  • Number of Imports and Exports by European Country (2024)

Geographic Breakdown

Business Locations

Heat maps
  • Share of Total Industry Revenue by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Enterprises by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Employment by Region (2024)
  • Share of Total Industry Wages by Region (2024)

Industry Geographic Breakdown

Data Tables

Values and annual change provided for 37 European countries:

  • Revenue (2024)
  • IVA (2024)
  • Enterprises (2024)
  • Employment (2024)
  • Exports (2024)
  • Imports (2024)

Competitive Forces

Highlights

Trends
  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power

Key Takeaways

Only a couple of wholesalers boast a significant market share. Glencore and ArcelorMittal are the only companies with an estimated market share of over 5%, although there are likely to be significant regional variations.

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Supply Chain

Charts

Buyer and supply industries

Companies

Market Share

Charts
  • Industry Market Share by Company (2019-2024)

Companies

Data Tables

Top 10 companies by market share:

  • Market share (2024)
  • Revenue (2024)
  • Profit (2024)
  • Profit Margin (2024)

Data Tables
  • Countries of operation for ArcelorMittal SA
  • Countries of operation for Glencore plc
  • Countries of operation for Trafigura Ltd
  • Countries of operation for Heraeus Holding GmbH
  • Countries of operation for Voestalpine AG
  • Countries of operation for Riva Forni Elettrici SpA
  • Countries of operation for Salzgitter AG
  • Countries of operation for Stemcor Holdings 2 Ltd
  • Countries of operation for Barrett Steel Ltd
  • Countries of operation for Metalloinvest MC LLC

External Environment

Highlights

Trends
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key Takeaways

Sustainable products and ethical sourcing make up primary regulatory concerns. In most European countries, regulation is tightening on carbon emissions, resource extraction and recycling, forcing wholesalers to source and supply metals with certifications.

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External Drivers

Analysis

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Highlights

Trends
  • Profit Margin
  • Average Wage
  • Largest Cost

Key Takeaways

Profit is dented by adapting to the green transition. Wholesalers are finding that profit is taking a short term beating as operations are adjusted to meet the demand for green metals, with hefty costs associated with compliance.

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Cost Structure

Charts
  • Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
  • Industry Cost Structure Benchmarks:
    • Marketing
    • Depreciation
    • Profit
    • Purchases
    • Wages
    • Rent
    • Utilities
    • Other
Analysis

What trends impact cost in the Metal & Metal Ore Wholesaling in Europe industry?


Key Ratios

Data tables
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)

Country Benchmarks

European Leaders & Laggards

Data Tables

Top and boottom five countries listed for each:

  • Revenue Growth (2024)
  • Business Growth (2024)
  • Job Growth (2024)

European Country Performance

Data Tables

Rankings available for 37 countries. Statistics ranked include:

  • IVA/Revenue (2024)
  • Imports/Demand (2024)
  • Exports/Revenue (2024)
  • Revenue per Employee (2024)
  • Wages/Revenue (2024)
  • Employees per Establishment (2024)
  • Average Wage (2024)

Structural Comparison

Data Tables

Trends in 37 countries benchmarked against trends in Europe

  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power
  • Volatility
  • Capital Intensity
  • Innovation
  • Life Cycle

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Methodology

Where does IBISWorld source its data?

IBISWorld is a world-leading provider of business information, with reports on 5,000+ industries in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe and China. Our expert industry analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build an accurate picture of each industry.

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and IBISWorld's proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights. 

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools.

To learn more about specific data sources used by IBISWorld's analysts globally, including how industry data forecasts are produced, visit our Help Center.