VAN RAAK STAAL

What VAN RAAK STAAL does

Van Raak Staal is a Dutch regional wholesaler of steel, stainless steel (RVS), and aluminium, founded in the late 1960s and operating today as a family-held entity under VAN RAAK HOLDING B.V. The company serves manufacturing, machine building, industrial maintenance, and craftsman/SMB customers through a network of seven physical branches spread across the Netherlands, providing local same-day/next-day access to metal stock that national distributors and direct importers cannot economically match.

The core product offering is metal stock — sheet, plate, bar, tube, and profile in carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminium — augmented by value-added processing services such as cutting and sawing to customer specification. On the technology side, the company has implemented EDI/SCSN (Stichting CISN) electronic ordering integration, allowing customer purchasing and ERP systems to place replenishment orders directly against Van Raak's catalog; this is the most notable digital workflow in the business and serves as a switching-cost anchor for medium-sized industrial accounts.

The business model is straightforward B2B distribution: the company buys metal in bulk from mills and stockholders, holds inventory across its branch network, and resells at margin to industrial customers, with revenue mechanics tied to tonnage throughput, steel spot-price movements, and processing/service attach rates. Customer segments span large machine builders and OEMs (EDI-integrated recurring accounts) down to individual craftsmen buying off-the-shelf stock. Pricing is transaction-based per order/tender, with no disclosed subscription, platform, or SaaS revenue line.

Name

VAN RAAK STAAL

Legal name

VAN RAAK STAAL Tilburg B.V.

Website

https://vanraakstaal.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Van Raak Staal is a Dutch regional wholesaler of steel, stainless steel, and aluminium, operating seven branches across the Netherlands and serving manufacturing, machine-building, maintenance, and SMB craftsmen customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tilburg

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Steel, RVS (Stainless Steel), and Aluminium Product Sales: VAN RAAK STAAL generates revenue primarily through the sale of steel, stainless steel (RVS), and aluminium products across 7 branch locations. Products include hollow sections (kokers), round tubes, bar steel, profiles, plates, construction steel, and fittings/flanges. Pricing is customer-specific and account-based, with daily delivery via own transport fleet and an emergency StaalExpress service. The company also sells small orders without additional handling charges for established accounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VAN RAAK STAAL is a regional Dutch wholesaler of steel, stainless steel (RVS), and aluminium semi-finished products including hollow sections, round tubes, bar steel, profiles, plates, construction steel, and fittings. It operates 7 branches across the Netherlands, delivering daily via its own fleet with a 1-hour StaalExpress emergency service, and supports customers through the MIJN.VANRAAKSTAAL web portal and EDI via SCSN for digital ordering and ERP integration. Account-based pricing with no hidden fees for small orders targets manufacturing, machine building, maintenance, and craftsman customers.

Product overview

VAN RAAK STAAL is a regional wholesaler for steel, stainless steel (RVS), and aluminium with 7 locations across the Netherlands. The product portfolio centers on a comprehensive range of metal materials—steel products (kokers/rectangular tubes, round tubes, bar steel, profiles, plates, construction steel, fittings/flanges), RVS products, aluminium products, and special steel products—complemented by multiple service channels: the Staalweb online ordering portal, EDI via SCSN for automated ERP integration, StaalExpress same-day delivery, and professional pickup counters. The offering is designed for business customers requiring reliable, fast material supply with digital convenience options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StaalExpress: Same-hour delivery service for urgent steel, RVS, and aluminium orders within one hour.
• StainlessExpress
• MIJN.VANRAAKSTAAL
• Staalweb
• Jan van Raakfonds
• RAAK Elkaar Fonds

Products and services

• Staalproducten (Steel Products) Complete range of steel materials including square/rectangular hollow sections (kokers/kokerprofielen), round tubes (ronde buizen), hot-rolled and bright bar steel (stafstaal WGW and blank), profiles including RP and HOP, plates (platen), construction steel (constructiestaal), and fittings and flanges. Sold from stock across 7 branches for manufacturing, machine building, and construction customers.
• RVS Producten (Stainless Steel Products) Stainless steel (RVS) range including hollow sections and profiles, round tubes, bar steel, profiles, plates, and fittings and flanges. Specialised separately at the VAN RAAK STAINLESS branch in Wijchen and supported by the StainlessExpress same-hour delivery service.
• Aluminium Producten Aluminium materials including hollow sections and profiles, round tubes, bar stock (stafmateriaal), profiles, and plates for manufacturing and interior applications.
• Speciaal Staal (Special Steel) Special steel materials including hollow sections and tubes, bar steel, profiles, plates, and fittings and flanges for specialised engineering applications.
• StaalExpress Emergency delivery service delivering steel, RVS, and aluminium materials within one hour to customers in the vicinity of one of the 7 branches via the company's own transport fleet. Designed for urgent needs and downtime minimisation.
• Afhaalbalie (Pickup Counter) Professional pickup counter at all 7 branches where customers can collect pre-ordered materials or purchase directly from stock; materials are bundled and packaged for easy transport.
• Staalweb / MIJN.VANRAAKSTAAL Online Portal Online self-service portal for account customers to browse the complete assortment, calculate prices, generate quotes, and place orders 24/7. Integrates customer-specific net pricing and order management. Non-account visitors can view articles without pricing.
• EDI via SCSN (Smart Connected Supplier Network) Electronic Data Interchange integration via the SCSN standard enabling customers to exchange Order, Order Response, Invoice, Price Catalogue, and Despatch Advice messages directly between their ERP systems and VAN RAAK's systems, reducing manual order confirmation and invoice checking. An EDI connection can be established within a few hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivery within 1 hour via StaalExpress for urgent orders
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Smart Connected Supplier Network (SCSN) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2017VAN RAAK STAAL has been an active participant in the SCSN (Smart Connected Supplier Network) foundation since the launch of the 'Schakels in de Keten' initiative in September 2017. SCSN provides a standardised EDI messaging framework (Order, Order Response, Invoice, Price Catalogue, Despatch Advice) enabling VAN RAAK and its customers/suppliers to exchange data seamlessly via ERP integration. VAN RAAK actively promotes SCSN among its customers and suppliers as part of its digital transformation strategy. Martin Suijker (former CEO) was involved from the initiative's inception.
• Rob de Beule (General Manager, SCSN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRob de Beule was appointed General Manager of Smart Connected Supplier Network (SCSN) in October 2022. He is a former General Manager of Fujitsu Glovia EMEA and previously involved with SCSN during his time there. He works closely with VAN RAAK STAAL leadership (Martin Suijker) to expand the SCSN network.
• De CromvoirtsecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe Cromvoirtse, a sheet metal working company, was among the first VAN RAAK customers to implement an EDI connection via the SCSN standard. Their connection (active since 2019) enables automated price catalogue updates, reliable customer quotes, and significant reduction in time spent on order confirmations and invoice checking. The partnership serves as a reference case for SCSN adoption.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ThyssenKrupp Materials Services: ThyssenKrupp Materials Services is one of Europe's largest mill-independent materials distributors, offering steel, stainless steel, aluminium, and value-added services across multiple countries. It competes with VAN RAAK in overlapping metal categories but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Salzgitter AG: Salzgitter AG is a German steel producer and processor with a significant steel trading and distribution arm (Salzgitter Mannesmann Handel). It competes with VAN RAAK in European steel and tube distribution at much larger scale and with broader product portfolios.
• SSAB: SSAB is a Nordic steel producer specialising in high-strength steels and wear plates, with European distribution reaching Dutch industrial customers. Comparable as a steel supplier in the Dutch market though primarily a producer, not a regional service-centre wholesaler like VAN RAAK.
• ArcelorMittal Europe: ArcelorMittal is the world's largest steel producer with significant European and Dutch downstream presence, competing with VAN RAAK as a major upstream supplier and increasingly through service centres and digital channels targeting the same industrial buyer base.
• Stainless service centres (e.g., Outokumpu, Acerinox, Aperam): Major stainless steel producers (Outokumpu, Acerinox, Aperam) operate European service centres and stockist networks that compete with VAN RAAK STAINLESS in Wijchen for RVS flat and long products. Comparable as the upstream-plus-distribution competitors in the stainless steel segment of VAN RAAK's range.

Regional players

• Tata Steel Nederland: Tata Steel operates the integrated IJmuiden steelworks in the Netherlands and supplies flat and long products to the Dutch market. While primarily a producer rather than a service-centre wholesaler like VAN RAAK, it operates in the same Dutch market and competes for some of the same downstream customers via direct mill sales and downstream processing.
• Wuppermann Staal Nederland: Wuppermann is a German-headquartered steel processor and service-centre operator with operations in the Netherlands (Tilburg area). It is a directly relevant peer for VAN RAAK in Dutch flat steel processing and distribution, though at a different point in the value chain (heavier processing focus).
• Voestalpine Steel Division: Voestalpine's Steel Division produces and distributes high-quality steel flat products with a European service-centre footprint, particularly strong in Germany and Austria. Comparable to VAN RAAK in the steel product category but operating across multiple countries at substantially larger scale and with higher value-added processing capabilities.

Direct peers

• Kloeckner & Co: Kloeckner & Co is a Germany-headquartered, pan-European metal distribution and steel service centre group with significant Dutch operations. It is the closest direct comparable to VAN RAAK: a multi-metal (steel, stainless, aluminium) wholesaler serving industrial customers with a mix of branch-based service, digital ordering, and value-added processing.
• Van Leeuwen Pipe and Tube Group: Van Leeuwen is a Dutch-founded, internationally active distributor of steel pipes, tubes, and related products serving industrial and energy customers. It is directly comparable in product category (steel/tube distribution), Dutch heritage, B2B industrial customer base, and multi-country branch model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VANRAAKSTAAL
• Facebookfacebook.com/vanraakstaal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/van-raak-staal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VAN RAAK STAAL