Platform helps metals manufacturer digitise materials

The materials supply industry is one that has traditionally been resistant to adopt digital technologies to support sales and marketing efforts. 

However, Switzerland-based integrated metals manufacturer and distributor AMPCO METAL has taken the step forward by partnering with online material search platform Matmatch. One year on and AMPCO METAL has already seen the positive impact on sales and awareness in new market segments.

AMPCO METAL manufactures a range of copper-based alloys in a variety of grades and conditions, ideal for several industries and markets including aerospace, oil and gas, metal forming and resistance welding. This far-reaching applicability contributed to the company’s renewed digital marketing focus in 2019. It was this that led AMPCO METAL to explore digital platforms as a means of reaching new customers. 

One of the key distinguishing factors for AMPCO METAL is the unique properties of its metals, which outperform similar standard products. Emphasising the superior properties and reaching as wide an audience as possible were key requirements of the digital platform.

In addition, the company wanted to avoid traditional online marketplaces, where the brand would be competing directly with lower quality and commoditised products. 

With these requirements, AMPCO METAL turned to Matmatch’s online materials platform. Matmatch boasts a catalogue of more than 26,000 materials from suppliers worldwide, with a global audience of design engineers and product developers from a diverse range of markets.

Matmatch’s comparison tool highlighted the high quality and properties of AMPCO METAL’s copper-based materials, while Matmatch’s team helped to digitise AMPCO METAL’s material datasheets and provided a platform to publish articles to raise further attention.

“We’re selective about our partners and companies we work with,” said Lionel Girard, global engineering manager at AMPCO METAL. “If Matmatch were not material experts, we probably wouldn’t work with them. I would recommend Matmatch for companies that are technically-oriented.”

AMPCO METAL reached more than 3,000 people and influenced more than 300 unique companies on Matmatch in 2019 alone. This increased reach led to more than 50 high intent leads from several industries, ranging from electrical engineering and oil and gas to universities and research institutes.

“We’ve received some interesting leads and questions from potential customers via Matmatch in the last few months,” Girard explained. “We have also had a few interesting questions from students, which is one of our target audience. Students are the customers of tomorrow, so we want to get our brand in front of them today.”

Today, Matmatch is the only online materials platform that forms part of AMPCO METAL’s marketing plans. This is something that Matmatch ascribes to its focus on added value.

“Materials selection involves many different factors, and we want to help engineers find the right materials – not just the cheapest ones,” explained Ben Smye, head of growth at Matmatch. “In many cases, the selection process is determined as much by the supplier’s added value services as much as the material’s properties. Matmatch not only promotes these services, but it also operates in the same way: we innovate to find new ways of adding value to our suppliers and users alike.”