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.
Zero Surprises: How to Know Exactly What's on Your Floor, Every Single Time.
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- Mar 20, 2026
- Updated
Stop typing mill certs by hand. Kill manual data entry and 1985 tech—use AI to track materials, link mill certificates and slash scrap and delays in real time.
£70m, 120,000 Tonnes, and Scunthorpe Back in Full Swing
- Ruth Kearney
- Blog
- Mar 19, 2026
- Updated
British Steel just signed the biggest billet order in company history. Production at Scunthorpe is increasing. If you’re in UK steel manufacturing, this signals something worth paying attention to.
UK doubles steel tariffs to 50% — what manufacturers must do before July
- Ruth Kearney
- Blog , News
- Mar 19, 2026
- Updated
UK doubles tariffs on imported steel to 50% and slashes quotas. Here’s exactly which products take the hit — and what manufacturers need to do before July.
Audit Panic is Optional: How to Stop Freaking Out Over Lost Certs.
- Ruth Kearney
- Blog
- Mar 19, 2026
- Updated
Stop typing mill certs and hunting filing cabinets — kill 1985 tech. See how AI extracts heat numbers, auto-links certs to stock and ends audit panic.
BS EN 1090 and NSSS Compliance: Stop Drowning in Structural Steel Paperwork
- Steph Locke
- Blog , Learning
- Mar 19, 2026
- Updated
BS EN 1090 and the National Structural Steelwork Specification require traceable, auditable mill certificate records. Manual management means compliance risk. GoSmarter fixes that.
You Wouldn't Worry About the Price of a Pint if Your Margins Were Better.
- Ruth Kearney
- Blog
- Mar 18, 2026
- Updated
Stop burning material and hours on 1985 tech and spreadsheets — AI cuts scrap, slashes energy bills and stops downtime dead. GoSmarter.
GoSmarter vs Excel for Metals Inventory Management
- Steph Locke
- Blog , Learning
- Mar 17, 2026
- Updated
Excel is the default tool for metals inventory, but it was not built for steel. GoSmarter was. Here is where each one wins and when it makes sense to use both.
AI Cutting Optimiser: The Complete Guide to Linear Cutting Optimisation
- Ruth Kearney
- Blog , Learning
- Mar 17, 2026
- Updated
GoSmarter’s Cutting Plans is purpose-built cutting optimiser software for rebar and long product manufacturers. Generate optimal steel cutting lists, improve cutting plan efficiency, and cut scrap rates by up to 50%.
Stop Running Your Factory Like It's 1985: The No-BS Guide to AI for Metals
- Steph Locke
- Blog
- Mar 17, 2026
- Updated
AI for metals isn’t about robots taking your job. It’s about stopping the manual drudgery that’s killing your margins. Here’s the no-BS guide.
Cloud MES Software: What It Actually Costs and Whether It's Right for Your Factory
- Steph Locke
- Blog , Learning
- Mar 16, 2026
- Updated
You’re a plant manager researching MES options. This guide explains what cloud MES is, how it differs from on-premise, what the top commercial solutions look like, and how to compare them on TCO without getting sold a lemon.
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