Commodities FAQs

Do you have direct mill relationships internationally?

Yes, we have a direct relationship with major steel mills across the globe. We know their teams by name and they know us.

What is the benefit of sourcing internationally with Flack versus using a broker?

Our supply chain management services extend well beyond sourcing material which is where brokers’ services typically end. We work with you to design inclusive supply chains that span logistics, processing, single bill invoicing and many other capabilities brokers don’t provide. Most importantly, our supply chains are always designed to bring you optionality because we know the more choices you have, the more you can limit your downside.

How do you qualify the mills that you source materials from?

We conduct a rigid qualification process that assess the overall quality of the material, the packaging, and the timeliness of delivery. This includes an In-person visit, no matter where the vendor is on the globe, a quality team audit and operations review.

What products can you source internationally?

We source hot rolled, galvanized, galvalume and aluminum materials.

What countries are you capable of sourcing from?

We have a vetted network of mill partners spanning across the globe. We determine the best mill(s) based on customer needs and supply chain management opportunities more so than on location.

How do you mitigate the risks of changing tariffs?

Our process is focused on engineering weaknesses out of supply chains. Tariffs are just one of many aspects we anticipate and mitigate during the design process.

What are the quality assurances?

Our quality control process begins long before you cut a PO. We are diligent in only taking orders we are confident we can fulfill. This discovery stage is the most important component of our quality process and is when we confirm the requirements of customers’ specifications are fully understood and documented. That same attention to detail is in place as we continuously evaluate our vetted network of mills and processors on items ranging from material quality to on-time delivery. At every step of our process, the  FGM customer experience team members are your direct contacts.

How long will it take to get my material? How do you handle delayed vessels?
Materials are typically delivered 4 – 5 months from time of order. However, we will often pre-fill our pipeline for materials we know customers routinely look to us to source. One of the benefits of working with FGM is our ability to see every coil at every step of the journey. It is why we were able to re-route and deliver orders during 2020 and 2021 when so many others were caught in the supply chain logjams.