Blog and Articles
Articles Written for the Shop Floor, Not the Boardroom
Practical reads for people who run metal processing, distribution, and manufacturing operations. No generic thought-leadership. No consultancy waffle. Just articles written for people who care about what actually happens on the shop floor.
Our articles cover the decisions that actually matter for metals businesses:
- How to cut scrap without replacing your equipment
- How to stop chasing mill certificates before every delivery
- How to get real inventory visibility without a six-figure ERP bill
- How AI is changing the economics of metals manufacturing
You’ll also find articles on industry terminology, compliance standards, and the wider context of digitalisation for metals SMEs. Turns out knowing what’s broken is step one.
If you’re looking for a specific subject, browse by topic or category. The glossary is a good starting point if you’re new to the terminology your customers use on purchase orders.
From Mill to Customer: End-to-End Mill Cert Traceability
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- Jun 8, 2026
GoSmarter now covers the full mill-cert-to-customer workflow, AI-assisted and manual. Here is what changed across cert ingestion, approval, stock reservation, and customer documentation.
Read More: From Mill to Customer: End-to-End Mill Cert TraceabilityGoSmarter Now Covers Non-Ferrous Metals: Copper, Bronze, and Beyond
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- Jun 1, 2026
GoSmarter has expanded beyond steel. The platform ships with a built-in starter list of 83 grades and 18 product forms (including Cu-Ni, bronze, and aluminium-bronze) ready to use with zero configuration. Your own grades, including ERP-mapped IDs, can replace or extend the starter list. The emissions calculator now covers copper alloys alongside steel, with CBAM-ready regional factors for aluminium.
Read More: GoSmarter Now Covers Non-Ferrous Metals: Copper, Bronze, and BeyondGoSmarter vs TallyPrime: Which should Indian metals small and medium businesses use first?
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- May 20, 2026
TallyPrime is for finance and GST. GoSmarter is for mill cert processing, cutting optimisation, and production scheduling. Most Indian metals small and medium businesses should keep TallyPrime and add GoSmarter in phases.
Read More: GoSmarter vs TallyPrime: Which should Indian metals small and medium businesses use first?UK Steel Strategy Shockwave Is Hitting Manufacturers
- Ruth Kearney
- Blog , News
- May 19, 2026
- Updated
A new Confederation of British Metalforming warning says steel quotas and tariffs are now damaging the wider UK manufacturing base.
Read More: UK Steel Strategy Shockwave Is Hitting ManufacturersEuropean Parliament Approves New Steel Trading Measures for July 2026
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- May 19, 2026
- Updated
From a tighter quota to a 50% above-quota duty, here are the key steel trading changes approved by the European Parliament for July 2026.
Read More: European Parliament Approves New Steel Trading Measures for July 2026AI vs. Spreadsheets: Carbon Reporting in Metals
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- May 19, 2026
- Updated
Spreadsheet errors in carbon reporting - see how AI automates batch emissions, cuts mistakes and readies metals firms for CBAM.
Read More: AI vs. Spreadsheets: Carbon Reporting in MetalsGoSmarter vs Katana and Fiix for Metals Inventory and MTO Planning
- Steph Locke
- Blog , Learning
- May 12, 2026
- Updated
Katana is a generic MTO manufacturing platform. Fiix is a CMMS. GoSmarter is built specifically for metals: mill certificate traceability, long product cutting, EN 10204 compliance. Here is who should use which.
Read More: GoSmarter vs Katana and Fiix for Metals Inventory and MTO PlanningHow Scrap Reduction and Cert Digitisation Feed CBAM and ESG Reporting
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- May 11, 2026
From October 2023, your EU customers carry a carbon cost on every tonne of steel you supply. GoSmarter turns your cut plan data and mill certs into CBAM and ESG evidence — no sustainability consultant required.
Read More: How Scrap Reduction and Cert Digitisation Feed CBAM and ESG ReportingYour S&OP Meeting Is Built on the Wrong Numbers
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- May 11, 2026
In most metals businesses, the Sales and Operations Planning meeting runs on inventory data that is three to four weeks out of date. Here is what that costs — and how GoSmarter fixes it without replacing your ERP.
Read More: Your S&OP Meeting Is Built on the Wrong NumbersGoSmarter vs Lantek, Sigmanest, and Bystronic for Cutting Planning
- Ruth Kearney
- Blog , Learning
- May 5, 2026
- Updated
GoSmarter handles long product cutting optimisation (rebar, sections, tubes). Lantek, Sigmanest, and Bystronic handle 2D plate and sheet nesting. Here is the honest comparison and a clear decision framework for metals businesses.
Read More: GoSmarter vs Lantek, Sigmanest, and Bystronic for Cutting PlanningCategories
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