新闻

Metal One Corporation and IBM Japan, Ltd. are collaborating to drive digital transformation in automotive steel distribution and foster more sustainable supply chains. In August 2024, they launched their Daily Order and Delivery Management service, the second phase of the Metal X® digital platform designed to support daily steel procurement operations.

The service streamlines the management of daily order placement and acceptance, shipping and delivery status across the supply chain. It consists primarily of two functions:
　More efficient placement of new orders and order modifications with multiple trading companies and steel service centers
　Centralized management of order shipping schedules and delivery results
These functions allow both buyers (including subcontractors) and suppliers to view real-time order and shipping information on a shared management chart, enabling more efficient communication.

Previously, order details were communicated to the trading company or steel service center receiving the order through various methods such as phone, fax and email to manage the order. With this service, however, buyers enter orders and suppliers enter shipping information directly into a shared chart on Metal X. The information can be centrally managed across companies and between departments within the same company.

This reduces the working hours required for both buyers and suppliers to place, accept and modify orders. Centrally managing data using Metal X also eliminates the reliance on specific individuals for handling order and shipping information. In addition, managing orders and order history on Metal X reduces human errors regarding order status and improves communication between buyers and suppliers, as well as between departments within the same company, enabling highly efficient and sustainable operations.

Leveraging Metal One’s expertise as an integrated steel trading company with extensive involvement in supply chains, Metal X was launched in April 2023 as a digital transformation (DX) platform for steel procurement operations, sharing data between multiple companies involved in distribution in the automotive industry. The initial phase of Metal X services—automatic calculation of monthly required amounts of steel materials—utilizes the multi-level bill of materials (BOM) to manage cross-corporate BOM data. Several customers, including automobile and parts manufacturers, are already using Metal X, and we plan to expand the number of users.

As we continue to expand Metal X functions to address customer needs, we will develop new services that also address various industry challenges, including carbon neutrality. By promoting the widespread use of Metal X, we intend to drive industry transformation by promoting DX across the entire automotive steel sheet distribution sector, and to address challenges such as the shortage of human resources.

Metal One
Metal One is an integrated steel trading company that operates worldwide, with over one hundred offices and affiliates all over the world and handles a wide variety of steel products that include steel sheet for the automotive and appliance industries, construction materials, containers and steel furniture.
Leveraging these domestic and overseas networks, Metal One provides a singular range of capabilities and services that include financing and IT solutions, along with the Metal One Group’s operational capabilities such as logistics coordination, warehousing and processing. In particular, Metal One’s automotive steel sheet business has helped construct strong supply chains in the automotive industry by ensuring a stable supply of high-quality products and providing wide-ranging processing capabilities and just-in-time delivery.
By utilizing its expertise cultivated through long, wide-ranging involvement within the supply chain, Metal One is promoting the Metal X project, which is designed for automotive steel sheet distribution, as well as other various DX measures as a way to partner with companies involved in steel sheet distribution, promote DX, and contribute to the industry’s overall transformation and growth. The company is determined to build a digital platform that serves as a foundation for undertaking sustainable corporate activities that are environmentally friendly, and to generate new value as ways of fulfilling its social responsibilities as an integrated steel trading company.

IBM Japan
IBM Japan is the Japanese entity of IBM Corporation, which is operating in more than 175 countries around the world. It supports clients’ business transformation and digital transformation through a full range of services, from basic research and business consulting to IT system development and maintenance. For more information, visit https://www.ibm.com/jp-ja/.

IBM Japan has leveraged its track record and expertise in consulting and platform development—including optimizing supply chains and achieving sustainability—to collaborate with Metal One in building Metal X and its services (including this one) on the IBM Cloud. The applications for each service are containerized, allowing them to be run on other cloud platforms as well. Incorporating best practices and expertise from both Japan and abroad, IBM Japan will continue driving change toward sustainable management alongside its customers. The goal is to build a platform that transcends industries and borders, helping to realize a more sustainable society.