ANNUAL REPORT ARCELOR 2003 - paperJam

2. ORGANISATION OF THE SECTORThe year was dedicated to integrating and streamliningthe sector’s operations. DTT thus engaged in an activeprocess to streamline its portfolio of companies, primarilythrough the disposal of non-core activities.The sector is now organised into six business units, eachcarrying out their specific but complementary activities.This new organisation improved the logistics of the sector’sbusinesses and in particular their commercial efficiency,and simplified the central functions.3. THE SECTOR’S PRODUCTS ANDMARKETS3.1. Arcelor Trading and Distribution (AND)AND is a world leader in steel distribution with200 facilities spread over 30 countries, distributingover 4 million tonnes of steel products per year.AND comprises companies that handle steel tradingand warehousing. These are multi-specialist businessesoffering an extensive range of products: sheets andplates, beams, tubes, merchant rolled products,stainless steel and aluminium flat and long products,technical products and special steels as well as concretereinforcement products. The customer base includesmultinationals as well as private individuals.It also offers a range of “customised” products thanks tothe downstream finishing service centres (manufacturedsemi-finished products, structural frames for buildings,crane and wind-turbine structures, etc.) and downstreampartnerships (examples of partner enterprises: JohnDeere, Potain, Snecma, Hermanussen, etc.).3.2. Arcelor Steel Service Centres (ASSC)ASSC is Arcelor’s preferred vector in the finished flatcarbon steel market with over 5,000 industrial customersin 18 countries, served by 44 plants offering a completerange of finishing products.The Steel Service Centres finish products to thedimensions requested by customers in ready-to-usequantities; for example: hot- and cold-rolled products,metallic- or organic-coated slit strip, sheet, blanks,specific components or sub-assemblies produced bysheet metalworking.They also provide a full line of services such as:- a holistic product offer backed by the range and qualityof Arcelor products,- technical expertise, innovative offers and product qualityfollow-up,- appropriate logistics.In 2003, ASSC began to expand its range downstreamthrough various customer partnerships with automotivesuppliers and domestic electrical appliance manufacturersin particular.Finally, several ISO 14001 certifications were eitherattained or confirmed, with quality certifications nowcovering a large portion of the operation.In 2003, AND continued to expand its European networkwith the formation and the acquisition of severalcompanies:- establishment of Arcelor Profil, Plaques et Découpes,Arcelor Distributie in Rumania and a coordination centrefor Eastern Europe in Slovakia;- acquisition of the Guille and Ferrometalli companiesto complete the plate and profiling activity, Krisper d.o.o.in Slovenia and Ravené Schäfer (DEAG POSSEHL) inGermany.58ANNUAL REPORT ARCELOR 2003