Buying from an established, well-informed steel distributor can be beneficial, the company says. In 2015, galvanized prices have decreased approximately 20 perent from 2014 levels, which is good news for sheet metal forming companies, although steel prices continue to fluctuate, the company added.  

Timing purchases can be critical, company President Joe Landry said. 

“Second City Metals is more of a steel consultant than just a buyer and seller of steel," he said. "We ask the correct questions and listen intently as our customers talk about current and future business conditions and purchase steel accordingly.” 

Second City Metals purchases steel based on this information and reads about the steel market on a daily basis.  Sounds simple but it’s not, Landy said. 

“We’re proud to say Second City Metals has been able to save our customers a lot of money this year," he said. "That’s our job because everyone expects good quality and quick delivery.  We’re not the biggest steel distributor so maybe we feel like we have to do more to separate ourselves from the large steel companies.” 

Second City said it is the only steel distributor who provides all metal manufactured on a spiral sheet metal works tube former. In 2000 there wasn’t a steel distributer who was fully dedicated to spiral HVAC market ductwork fabrication manufacturers in particular and the HVAC construction industry in general, so Landry said Second City capitalized on the void. 

In 2004 Second City Metals added 60-inch galvanized coil. This enabled HVAC market and sheet metal products customers to purchase  their spiral and rectangular coil needs from Second City Metals.

All of the steel sold by Second City Metals is used in the HVAC construction industry, the company says. Besides selling galvanized coil, Second City Metals sells polyvinyl-coated steel for underground duct and perforated coil for double-wall ductwork fabrication. These products, along with stainless, aluminum, aluminized and galvannealed/paint grip are not used often in the HVAC construction industry, but are needed quickly if a sheet metal products shop has a job calling for this type of ductwork. 

Second City Metals business is up over 50 percent from 2014 and prices are down 20 percent, so volume has increased dramatically, Landry said. 

“The majority of the customers we have today started with Second City Metals 15 years ago and even though we’ve had customers leave for short periods of time they always seem to come back,” Landry said. “I guess that’s what happens when you consistently provide a quality product at a fair price over a long period of time."