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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.

Material Yield Planner: Stop Throwing Money in the Bin

Calculate exactly how many parts you can get from a sheet. Stop guessing and stop wasting metal.

Stop Underpricing Your Work: Manufacturing Cost Estimator

Know exactly what a job costs before you quote it. Stop working for free.

Metal Weight Calculator: Stop Guessing Before the Job Starts

Calculate the weight of steel rebar, metal plates, bars, and tubes before your fabrication job goes sideways. Free. No sign-up.

Another Suit Wants to Buy British Steel

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Feb 4, 2026
  • Updated

Michael Flacks thinks he can save British Steel. Good luck to him.

Kill the Busy Work: Why Automation Matters

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Feb 3, 2026
  • Updated

Stop wasting 120+ hours a year on paperwork. Automate it.

Steel Grade Converter: Stop Memorizing Tables

What’s the DIN equivalent of 316L? Stop guessing and use this tool.

5 Problems That Are Killing Your Production (And How to Fix Them)

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Jan 13, 2026
  • Updated

Reduce downtime, stop making scrap, and stop wasting money.

Why Your ERP Sucks at Supply Chain (And What to Do About It)

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Jan 12, 2026
  • Updated

Most ERPs are giant, expensive filing cabinets. Here’s how to actually use them to stop your supply chain from blowing up.

How AI Transforms CRM for Metals Manufacturing

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Jan 11, 2026
  • Updated

How AI-powered CRM unifies ERP, IoT and CRM data to automate tasks, improve demand forecasting, cut costs and strengthen customer relationships.

AI Tools for Production Scheduling in Metals

  • Steph Locke
  • Blog
  • Jan 10, 2026
  • Updated

AI scheduling tools cut scrap, lower costs, automate mill-certificate handling and enable real-time production planning for metals manufacturers.