Rocco

“We’re coming out of a very challenging year” - Bettuzzi explains - “defined by the perfect storm of low volumes and insufficient margins. However, the first quarter of 2026 could bring a turning point, with a gradual rebound in stainless steel prices”.

According to Bettuzzi, two key factors could drive this recovery:

- the draft of the new safeguard proposal, designed to protect the European internal market;
- the introduction of the CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) in January 2026, which will curb imports from non-EU countries not subject to the same environmental standards.
This combined effect, Bettuzzi notes, will support European production and could create the conditions for a gradual rebound in prices over the coming months.

However, another issue remains crucial: protecting end consumption.

“We urgently need to defend our industrial districts from the influx of steel-intensive finished products” -  Bettuzzi stresses -. “These imported products are priced up to 30% lower than their European counterparts. Such a gap undermines the competitiveness of EU manufacturers and threatens the entire supply chain”.

For the distribution sector, the real challenge in 2026 will therefore be to balance the expected price recovery with support for domestic demand, ensuring that market protection does not translate into weaker consumption.

“At Oiki” - Bettuzzi concludes - “we believe that only a balance between open market dynamics and the protection of European production can ensure sustainable, long-term growth for the entire stainless steel value chain”.

With over fifty years of experience in stainless steel processing and distribution, Oiki Acciai Inossidabili Spa operates two dedicated in-house Grinding lines: one for sheet-by-sheet processing, the other for coil-to-coil, both designed to meet the needs of precision-driven industrial and architectural applications.

Sheet grinding line

- Available finishes: Scotch Brite / Duplo
- Processable thicknesses:
- Grain grinding: from 0.5 mm to 15 mm
- Scotch Brite / Duplo: up to 8 mm
- Widths: from 1,000 mm to 2,000 mm
- Lengths: from 1,400 mm to 10,000 mm
- Protective film: Laser or Fibre Laser 100 µm, applicable on one or both sides
Optional services include:

- Mechanically repolished 2B-finished sheets
- Satin-finished F1 with certified roughness Ra > 0.30 µm

Coil-to-Coil Grinding Line

- Available finishes: Scotch Brite / Duplo
- Grain grindings: from 40 to 320
- Processable thicknesses: from 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm
- Coil widths: 1,000 / 1,250 / 1,500 mm
- Protective film: Laser or Fibre Laser 100 µm on one or both sides
This dual-line configuration enables Oiki to serve both large-scale industrial production and customised projects, especially in sectors where visual detail is functionally critical, such as stainless steel furniture, architecture, exposed systems and cladding.

The ability to provide certified Ra surface roughness values and apply laser-compatible protective films ensures full traceability, repeatability, and safety during cutting operations.

Choosing Oiki’s stainless steel Grinding service means relying on a fully controlled process, from grit selection to surface protection, with direct oversight on quality, timing, and supply continuity.

All materials supplied by Oiki come with chemical analysis and mechanical test certificates compliant with key international regulations. These certifications cover requirements across industrial, plant engineering, and regulatory sectors, ensuring complete technical and documentary compatibility.

Applicable standards include:

- ASTM A240 / ASME SA240 - USA standards for austenitic and ferritic stainless steel plates
- DIN 17440 / 17441 - German standards for stainless steel semi-finished products
- BS 1449 - British standard for hot and cold rolled stainless steels
- EN 10088 / EN 10028 - European standards for technical characteristics and specific applications
- PED / AD 2000-W2 - EU Pressure Equipment Directive for pressurised system components
Each certification is issued based on the supplied material, with values obtained from specific tests. All products undergo rigorous in-house inspections carried out by qualified personnel using state-of-the-art equipment, ensuring full compliance with specified requirements.

Full traceability: every sheet has a verifiable origin

A key feature of Oiki’s quality system is its commitment to complete traceability. Every stainless steel sheet and coil is marked with a heat number, allowing trace-back to the material’s origin, chemical composition, production cycle, and associated certifications. This ensures full transparency for clients and facilitates efficient management in the event of audits, inspections, or documentation needs.

Supporting this commitment, Oiki operates under a UNI EN ISO 9001 certified quality management system, which governs internal procedures, controls, and workflows; ensuring every process is compliant, traceable and reliable.

Investing in certified quality builds trust, not only in the materials supplied but in the supplier itself. Through this approach, Oiki remains a dependable partner to industry, offering not only stainless steel products, but also the certainty that every declared value is tested, verified and guaranteed.

In an increasingly fast-paced and competitive stainless steel market, we believe that quality service stems not only from expertise and technology but also from the well-being of our people. After months of intense work – from sourcing premium stainless steel to customising solutions and managing fast deliveries from our 35,000 sqm warehouse – we’re pressing pause. A strategic choice to ensure sustained excellence in the long run.

During the closure:

- no shipments or deliveries will be made;
- our commercial and administrative teams will be unavailable;
- enquiries will be handled from 25 August onwards.
To our clients, partners, and suppliers, we extend our warmest wishes for a peaceful and relaxing summer holiday.

We look forward to working with you again from 25 August, with the same passion and precision that define OIKI.

Happy holidays from the entire OIKI team!

With 109 participants, the tournament reaffirmed the close bond between Oiki Acciai Inossidabili Spa and the game of golf, which over the years has become a meaningful part of the company’s culture. But the most important number of the day wasn’t on the scorecard: all registration fees — totalling €2,507 — were donated to GiocoAmico, a non-profit association based at the University Hospital of Parma.

Since 1998, GiocoAmico has been supporting children in paediatric wards by offering psycho-pedagogical assistance and recreational activities. Thanks to Oiki’s backing, their vital work continues to grow and thrive.

This philosophy — blending a love for sport with a lasting impact on the local community — is at the heart of Oiki’s business values. The golf tournament is just one of several initiatives the company supports. Others include the Energy Volley summer camp in Parma’s Cittadella park and various grassroots sports organisations in the region.

With the Oiki Trophy, the company proves that even an individual sport like golf can foster unity and generosity. And the commitment doesn’t stop here: the 33rd edition is already planned for next year, with the same goal of combining sport and social purpose.

At a time when businesses are increasingly expected to take an active role in their communities, Oiki is leading by example. Here, sport and solidarity aren’t just buzzwords — they’re a way of doing business.

Bettuzzi highlighted price dynamics as a central issue, noting short-term stability. “ We foresee relatively steady prices over the next three months, despite a clear imbalance between excessive supply and still-muted demand. However, we expect a potential turnaround in the second half of the year, ,” he explained. A possible rebound in prices may be influenced by upcoming regulatory measures, some of which—like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)—are still under evaluation by the European Commission.

One of the most impactful changes could be the introduction of the “Melted and Poured” rule, which establishes a product’s origin based on where the steel is melted, regardless of any subsequent transformations.

“The most pressing issue,” Bettuzzi noted, “concerns demand evolution. Should certain environmental regulations currently under discussion—especially in the green sector—come fully into force without a coordinated political vision to safeguard the value chain, the industry risks a significant blow, with heavy consequences on final consumption. .” This concern is echoed across the sector, especially as the ecological transition threatens to rewrite the rules of the game.

The conference also shed light on major transformations reshaping the entire value chain: from production, under pressure due to global competition distorted by subsidies and overcapacity, to distribution, which is now increasingly crowded with diverse operators, and downstream processing, particularly in key sectors such as automotive and white goods.

Within this context, Oiki—operating since 1966 and now among Europe’s leading independent stainless steel distributors—continues to stand out thanks to its efficient logistics and strong drive toward innovation, while staying true to its founding values: quality, speed, and customisation.

“Our role today,” Bettuzzi concluded, “ is to navigate with clarity in a hyper-competitive market, identifying weak signals before they evolve into waves of transformation. Flexibility will be our strength, innovation our direction.” .