Steelonthenet.com

What Steelonthenet.com does

Steelonthenet.com is an independent steel industry intelligence platform operated by Metals Consulting International Limited (MCI), a UK private limited company incorporated in 2003 by Dr. Andrzej M. Kotas. The platform has operated continuously since 2001, providing consulting, research, and data products to governments, development banks, steel producers, and courts across more than 20 countries. Its core deliverable is conflict-free analysis enabled by a project-based fee model, with 99% of revenue derived from project fees rather than subscriptions — a structural choice that supports expert witness testimony in courts in London, Paris, Geneva, The Hague, and Hong Kong, as well as government policy advisory where neutrality is required.

The platform combines three pillars: (1) Strategic Advisory Services covering feasibility studies, due diligence, business valuations, government restructuring, and expert witness work, delivered via MCI; (2) Think Tank Research publishing monthly policy analyses on decarbonisation, trade policy, and capacity rationalisation, cited by Nature, OECD, UK Parliament, and the U.S. Department of Energy; and (3) Intelligence Resources including proprietary databases (4,500+ plants, 170+ M&A transactions, 1,330+ capex records, 12 country profiles), seven free interactive tools (steel grade finder, emissions calculator, sentiment analyser, product size guides, chronology explorer), and paid data products (Long Products and Crude Steel Capacity Reports at $500 each, Raw Materials Report at $850, Price Forecasts at $175-$200). Distribution occurs through direct consulting engagement, an e-commerce store with PayPal processing, dedicated expert witness portals (SteelExpertWitness.com, MetalExpertWitness.com), RSS/podcast syndication, and a news syndication program for partner websites. The technology stack is content- and data-centric with light AI usage (sentiment scoring) and no public API.

Name

Steelonthenet.com

Legal name

Metals Consulting International Limited

Website

https://steelonthenet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Steelonthenet.com, operated by Metals Consulting International Limited since 2001, is an independent steel industry intelligence platform providing project-based strategic advisory, expert witness services, and proprietary plant/M&A/capex databases to governments, development banks, steel producers, and courts worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Advisory Consulting: Project-based consulting fees for governments, banks, and corporations requiring independent analysis. Operates through Metals Consulting International (MCI). Enables conflict-free decision support for expert witness testimony, government policy advisory, and major investment decisions.
2. Research Reports and Databases: Sale of proprietary reports including long products capacity reports ($500), crude steel capacity reports ($500), raw materials reports ($850), and price forecast packages ($175-$200). Delivered as Excel worksheets and written reports.
3. Intelligence Resources: Free tools (grade finder, emissions calculator, sentiment analyser, size guides) demonstrate technical knowledge base that supports advisory practice. Premium intelligence resources available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Steelonthenet.com is an independent steel industry intelligence platform that delivers project-based strategic advisory, think tank research, and proprietary databases/tools for governments, banks, steel producers, and courts. Core offerings include feasibility studies, due diligence, government restructuring advisory, expert witness testimony, capacity and M&A intelligence, and monthly policy analysis published since 2001.

Product overview

Steelonthenet.com is an independent steel industry intelligence platform operated by Metals Consulting International Limited since 2001, built on a three-pillar model combining Strategic Advisory Services, Think Tank Research, and Intelligence Resources. The platform offers consulting services (market appraisal, technical review, financial analysis, expert witness testimony), proprietary databases (plant database of 4,500+ plants, 170+ M&A transactions, 1,330+ capex records, 12 country profiles), seven free interactive tools (steel grade finder, emissions calculator, pipe planner, sentiment analyser, product size guides, chronology explorer), data products for purchase (long products capacity report, crude steel capacity report, raw materials report, price forecasts), and content distribution via RSS feeds and news syndication. The Think Tank Research pillar publishes 19 monthly policy analyses cited by Nature, OECD, and UK Parliament.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SteelExpertWitness.com: Specialized expert witness services for steel industry litigation and legal proceedings, covering both ferrous and non-ferrous metals industry cases.
• MetalExpertWitness.com

Products and services

• Strategic Advisory Services Project-based consulting covering market appraisal, technical review, financial analysis, strategy support, government restructuring advisory, investment due diligence, business valuations, post-investment monitoring, and expert witness testimony. Delivered through Metals Consulting International to governments, banks, corporations, and courts worldwide.
• Think Tank Research Monthly independent policy analysis publications covering decarbonisation pathways, trade policy, capacity rationalisation, and structural industry change in the steel sector. Research is cited by Nature, OECD, UK Parliament, and academic institutions, demonstrating analytical capabilities.
• Plant Database Proprietary database covering 4,500+ steel plants worldwide with capacity assessments, ownership data, competitor maps, and operational status tracking for steel producers, analysts, and academic researchers.
• M&A & Strategic Intelligence Database Database of 170+ M&A transactions with valuations, cross-border deal tracking, consolidation trends, 40 major steel company histories, and long-term price forecasts to 2050 for investment analysts and banking professionals.
• Cost & Capex Database Database covering 1,330+ capex records for plant and equipment, process-level cost benchmarking, cost models for EAF, BOF, HRC, rebar and tube, and freight cost data for major trade routes, serving banking professionals and strategy consultants.
• Country Profiles In-depth profiles of 12 national steel industries (Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, USA) covering plants, ownership, logistics, scrap flows, and investments for policy makers and analysts.
• Steel Industry Tools Suite Seven free interactive tools: Steel Grade Equivalent Finder (118 grade groups across 8 standards), Steel Production Emissions Calculator (Scope 1 & 2 CO₂ by process route), Large Diameter Pipe Planner, Steel Market Sentiment Analyser, Long Product Size Guide, Flat Product Size Guide, and Steel Industry Chronology Explorer. Demonstrates technical knowledge base.
• Steel Price Data Monthly steel price data archive covering HRC, CRC, HDG, OCS, Tinplate, and Rebar from 2008–2025, compiled from national customs statistics, for analysts and market participants.
• Steel Price Forecasts Steel price forecast packages for HRC and Rebar covering 2026–2028, priced at $175 (to end-2027) and $200 (to end-2028). Delivered as Excel worksheets and written methodology reports for investment analysts.
• World Long Products Capacity Report Global capacity and production report for finished steel long products (sections, rail, bar, wire rod) by country and plant. 2025 edition priced at $500 per copy; published by James King.
• World Crude Steel Capacity Report Spreadsheet analysis of crude steel production and capacity by country (EAF, BOF, other processes), capacity by plant for 2025, and future capacity changes. 2025 edition priced at $500 per copy.
• World Steel & Raw Materials Market Report ~180-page report covering macroeconomics, steel product definitions, long-term trends in steel demand and supply, product costs and prices, and steelmaking metallics requirements (pig iron, DRI, scrap, iron ore) to 2040. Priced at $850 per copy.
• Expert Witness Services Specialist expert witness and litigation support services for steel industry disputes including contract terms, pricing, raw material delivery, cargo damage, mill design, and operational performance. Proceedings handled in London, Paris, Geneva, The Hague, and Hong Kong.

Quantifiable outcome

• £2.77 billion privatization advisory - OYAK Erdemir acquisition (2005)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DanieliminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner for Metinvest's Piombino green steel plant project (Italy). Metinvest is a client of Metals Consulting International. Danieli is supplying EAF technology for the EUR 2.5 billion project scheduled to begin operations in 2028. The project will serve as a template for post-war modernisation of Ukrainian steel facilities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Danieli: Italian steel plant equipment supplier and engineering firm, identified in Steelonthenet data as a technology partner. Provides EAF technology for projects (e.g., Metinvest Piombino) where Steelonthenet provides market and technical advisory.
• World Steel Association (worldsteel): Brussels-based industry association publishing aggregated statistics and policy positions. Not a commercial peer but explicitly cited in Steelonthenet material as a comparison point for member-funded limitations versus independent advisory.
• Primetals Technologies: Equipment vendor and engineering partner for steel plants, often working alongside consultants like Steelonthenet on greenfield and brownfield projects. Indirect competitor on feasibility work but more often an ecosystem partner.

Broad incumbents

• Wood Mackenzie: Global commodity research and consulting firm, owned by Verisk, covering metals, mining, and energy. Overlaps with Steelonthenet on steel consulting for banks and governments but at vastly larger scale and broader commodity scope.
• S&P Global Commodity Insights (Platts): Major subscription-based commodity intelligence and price assessment business within S&P Global. Competes with Steelonthenet on steel data products and capacity analysis but cannot offer the structural independence required for court testimony or government restructuring.
• Hatch Ltd: Global engineering and project management consultancy with a long-established iron and steel practice serving clients on feasibility studies and engineering reviews. Comparable on the engineering-consulting side of Steelonthenet's technical review services.

Direct peers

• Argus Media: Subscription-based commodity price reporting and consulting firm covering ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Overlaps with Steelonthenet on steel market data, price forecasting, and consulting for industrial clients.
• CRU Group: London-based commodity research firm offering subscription steel market intelligence, price assessments, and consulting. The most direct competitor to Steelonthenet's intelligence and advisory offering, though CRU operates a subscription model whereas Steelonthenet relies on project fees.
• MEPS International: Steel price reporting and forecasting consultancy selling research reports to industry subscribers. Closely comparable to Steelonthenet's paid-data-product strategy (capacity and raw materials reports).
• World Steel Dynamics (WSD): Independent steel industry research and consulting practice founded by Peter Marcus, offering strategic advisory and steel economics analysis. The closest analog in terms of independent steel-industry thought leadership positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/steelonthenet
• YouTubepodcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/steel-industry-podcasts-steelonthenet-com/id1891396187
• Facebookfacebook.com/Steelonthenet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/kotas
• Instagraminstagram.com/steelonthenet
• Pinterestpinterest.co.uk/steelonthenet/steel-industry-photos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Steelonthenet.com