Local metal stockist with a trade counter
Run a small unit stocking sheet, bar and tube for local fabricators, engineers and builders who need metal fast.
- £25k-100k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
2,233 UK companies in this field, 26% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 46720 “Wholesale of metals and metal ores”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small stockholding unit with racking, a saw for cutting to length and a counter where trade customers collect, plus local delivery. You stock the sizes local workshops use most.
Your first three steps
- Talk to local fabricators and workshops about what they buy, how often and what frustrates them about current suppliers
- Get trade accounts and credit terms from wholesalers or mills, and cost up a first stock list
- Find a suitable unit with loading access and check its permitted use and business rates
Who pays
Fabricators, welders, engineers, builders, farmers, signmakers and makers within easy reach of your unit.
How it makes money
Margin on metal sold, plus charges for cutting, delivery and processing. Trade accounts with regular customers bring steady repeat orders.
Skills that help
- Knowledge of metals, grades and sizes
- Selling to trade customers
- Stock control and pricing
- Safe handling of heavy materials
Watch out for
- Large startup cost, stock and racking tie up a lot of cash
- Metal prices can change quickly, which affects your margins
- Check planning use class, lease terms and business rates for the unit
- Check whether you need training for forklifts, cranes or lifting equipment, and rules for safe storage
- If you take scrap or offcuts, check whether a scrap metal dealer licence is needed
- Public liability, employer's liability if you hire, and stock and theft insurance
- Offering credit to trade customers brings the risk of late payment
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: local metal stockist with a trade counter
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to open a metal stockist with a trade counter?
Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £25,000 to £100,000, depending on the unit, racking, saw and amount of stock you carry. Stock and racking tie up a lot of cash, so plan your funding carefully.
How much can a local metal stockist earn?
Estimates suggest monthly revenue typically around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on your stock range, local demand and pricing. The estimate assumes at least about 35 hours a week. Metal prices can change quickly, which affects margins.
What should I check before opening a metal trade counter?
Check the planning use class, lease terms and business rates for the unit, and any training needed for forklifts, cranes or lifting equipment. Also check whether a scrap metal dealer licence is needed, and insurance such as public liability, employer's liability and stock cover.
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