Fabricators
Trusted advisors for fabricators
SFA (Oxford) works with some of the world's largest most reputable fabricators and manufacturers in Platinum Group Metals and Battery Raw Materials, and support The Hydrogen Market with strategic metals for their technologies. SFA has helped clients with the market knowledge and price forecasting, security of supply against new automotive technologies and product cycles, an evaluation of metal suitability for a major automotive catalyst fabricator, a review of the fuel cell and electrolyser industry, and electric vehicle studies which also provided an overview of the lithium market.
In collaboration with a major platinum jewellery organisation, SFA (Oxford) also produced an in-depth study of the world’s PGM jewellery pipeline, and has provided analysis and forecasts of the global autocatalyst and jewellery markets, including elasticity to metal prices.
Case studies
Heraeus Precious Appraisal
Weekly precious metals report — co-produced with a leading provider of precious metals services and products
Since 2018, SFA (Oxford) has co-produced a precious metals report with Heraeus, a leading provider of precious metals services and products. Distributed weekly, this report provides regular insight into important trends in the precious metals markets. It covers gold and silver, as well as platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, and ruthenium.
PGM market study on the size and dynamics of the Indian PGM market
Analysing capacities, industrial sectors, material flows, and end-uses
SFA (Oxford)’s Indian PGM market study included market intelligence on PGM demand split by sectors, local and imported sources of supply for end users, identification of major players and their services as well as PGM recycling developments and opportunities in India.
Precious metal demand trends in Southeast Asia
Analysing capacities, industrial sectors, material flows, and end-uses
An investigation was made into current and future trends and influences acting on industrial PGMs and their investment vehicles in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar and Australia.
Industrial sectors covered included glass, petroleum, electronics, chemical and medical. The investment sector took account of exchange-traded funds. A 'black book' of customers and suppliers was created, and PGM volumes required for each industry and customers were derived.
China PGM market study
Analysing capacities, industrial sectors, material flows, and end-uses
Over the years SFA (Oxford) has greatly expanded its analysis of the Chinese PGM marketplace. This study provides a detailed understanding of the precious metals trading environment, regulations, automotive catalyst manufacturing segment and its players, market size and global context, as well as recycling market volumes and forecasts.
USA PGM market study
Analysing capacities, industrial sectors, material flows, and end-uses to identify new client opportunities
SFA (Oxford) provided key PGM market data and useable information including procurement volumes and methods by sector and segment, new appliances of PGMs, forecast consumption volumes, PGM recycling loops, as well as a summary of the key players in recycling.
Strategic list of target customers
Ranking targets in the chemical sector for a client
Using our in-depth knowledge and understanding of PGM demand and metal flows to the chemical sector (silicones, nitric acid, paraxylene and PDH), SFA (Oxford) created a target list of potential customers for a client.
Precious metals chemicals industry
Evaluating players, metal use, and business opportunities for a client
SFA (Oxford) undertook a detailed strategic intelligence report on the precious metals chemicals markets, including PGM demand volumes and market value by segment and region, as well as the competitive landscape.
Ruthenium value chain
The European and US ruthenium catalyst markets: Supply, sale and application
SFA (Oxford) analysed the European and US ruthenium catalyst markets (including recycling), considering their fundamentals, trade flows, and major players/buyers, and supplying actual pricing information for ruthenium to better frame the market’s commercial/trading environment through, for example, spot pricing and contracts.
Global reconciliation of PGM flows through the open and closed-loop industries for a major fabricator
Full precious metals loop analysis, covering the value chain for platinum, palladium and rhodium, quantifying open- and closed-loop demand, system losses and recycling volumes
SFA (Oxford) provided a yearly snapshot of the PGM industry, detailing PGM volumes defined by the stream, including mining, consumption, precious metals in the loop (recycling volumes) and stocks. A high-level overview of the recycling sector covered key players and industrial segments, and the linkages and metal flow between each.
A detailed assessment of mining and secondary concentrates, chemical, and petrochemical, jewellery, dental, medicine, glass, electronic, production scrap and magnetic data storage sectors were covered. The SFA team provided installed industrial capacities of PGM, top-up requirements, major players and replacement cycles to complete a concise picture of the PGM markets.
Competitor purchasing intelligence
PGM use in automotive market and best-fit scenarios for a client
SFA (Oxford) helped the client better understand PGM use in the automotive market, then identified potential purchasing strategy developments to leverage the clients buying powers, reduce risk and guarantee supply.
Trends in PGM jewellery and consumer demand — commissioned by a major PGM fabricator
Long-term supply outlook for the retail PGM sector
SFA (Oxford) undertook a detailed commentary and analysis on demand for platinum and palladium for the manufacture of jewellery, as well as an analysis of large and small bars and noble coins.
Global drivers for fuel cell adoption — commissioned by a fuel cell component manufacturer
Fuel cell market assessment
Fuel cell market study with a specific focus on drivers of adoption and applications, and opportunities in private and public transport.
Competition for PGM supply — commissioned by an electrolyser and fuel cell production company
Strategic metals assessment
SFA (Oxford) was commissioned to examine the future demand requirements for platinum and iridium, and the availability of supply to support the growing hydrogen economy.
Solutions for fabricators
Due diligence studies and commercial advisory
Working with clients and third parties, SFA has a long track record of providing technical due diligence and financial modelling support to help secure future funding from investors and lenders.
Mergers, acquisitions, and corporate defence
Clients have used SFA to provide the analytical link with banks and financial institutions to support PGM investment decision-making and provide robust market support.
Covid-19 PGM market analysis and scenarios
With extensive experience covering the PGM markets and industry fundamentals, SFA can provide you with our latest market outlook and the window of upside and downside scenarios.
Strategy, planning and Board support
SFA is a trusted advisor to Board members and senior management of significant stakeholders and provides regular assistance to strategy and planning efforts.
Price forecasting and project incentive pricing
SFA can provide accurate short-, medium- and long-term PGM price forecasts to support your business plans and contract negotiations, backed by our extensive supply and demand databases.
PGM markets and supply risk dashboards
SFA provides regular data flows of mine supply and metallurgical pipelines, basket prices, mine economics, and future supply and demand profiles to assist strategic decision-making and supply-chain purchasing.
'Black-box' PGM and macro scenario modelling
Clients approach SFA to run their own supply and macro modelling demand inputs to see the impact this has on the medium- to long-term PGM market balances to complement future strategic decision-making.
Investor Board packs and roadshows
SFA regularly supports its clients on global roadshows to assist on capital raisings and converse with fund managers, institutional investors and family wealth officers.
Black swan events and PGM market impacts
The SFA team is constantly providing rich insights for its clients on structural events moving the PGM markets, particularly when the situation continues to change.
Corporate ESG strategy and stewardship
SFA works closely with value chain players to understand how materially significant ESG issues can be integrated into their wider company strategy.
Peer-group ESG benchmarking
SFA's benchmarking of PGM producers on material ESG factors generates high-resolution insights for sustainability-conscious investors.
Cradle-to-grave ESG recycling studies
SFA's analysis of environmental footprints from recycled material in terms of greenhouse gases, waste generation and processing is helping future PGM recycling investments.
Formulating regional trading desk strategies
SFA has significant experience mapping regional and localised end-use markets for PGMs to assist clients in discovering new trading opportunities and client targets by volume and sector.
Macroeconomics and precious metals
For many years, SFA's extensive expertise in analysing the changing dynamics of global economies, financial markets and precious metals has enabled us to deliver bespoke research to enhance your next strategy.
Emerging technologies – opportunities and threats
SFA is constantly monitoring the evolution of emerging technologies and threats to new metal substitution. Let us cut through the noise, and highlight the short to long-term price risk impacts for your business.
Market Outlook Reports for Fabricators
The PGM Quarterly Market Outlook (3-year forecast)
Released every three months, this price risk-focused report details-impacting factors for platinum, palladium and rhodium markets for the next three years.
The 2031 PGM Market Outlook
Released Bi-annually, our highly-detailed 10-year view provides current, and long-term trends and influences acting on the global PGM markets.
The 2040 PGM Market Outlook
Released annually, this ground-breaking forward-looking report analyses the influences and trends on the PGM markets between 2030 and 2040.
The Ruthenium Market Outlook to 2025
Stay up-to-date with quarterly 5-year view forecast on ruthenium's technological developments and underlying evolution of supply, demand and end-use applications.
The Iridium Market Outlook to 2025
A comprehensive quarterly report on iridium market fundamentals and integration of future technologies for new and existing end-users.
Green Hydrogen Metals Market Outlook
A proprietary report unlocking the current and future demands for precious metals (Pt, Ir, and Ru) used in electrolysers and fuel cells for the hydrogen economy.
Heraeus Precious Appraisal and Market Spotlights
In collaboration with Heraeus, this weekly report makes sure all the key precious metal and macroeconomic developments are fully analysed by the SFA team.
Joining the Dots between Metal Flows and Prices
Unrivalled insights and definitive answers to PGM purchasing dynamics, metal flows, trading and pricing factors affecting platinum, palladium and rhodium.
Spent Autocatalyst Recycling
A comprehensive study of recycled autocatalysts from scrapyards, collection, decanners, smelting and refining players, technology developments and economics.
North America PGM Market Outlook
An assessment of PGM purchasing, trade flows and end-use consumption as well as mapping key industry players for strategic investment.
China PGM Market Outlook
Bottom-up evaluation of the precious metals trading environment, regulatory framework, end-use markets, recycling volumes and key players.
Southeast Asia PGM Market Outlook
A critical impact study of PGM consumption by country of major-end uses, and future metal requirements by company.
India PGM Market Outlook
Detailed market intelligence on PGM demand and supply, major players and the recycling market to assist strategic planning.
Northern Hemisphere PGM Processing Report
Processing analytics, capacity utilisation rates, logistical flows and plant feeds for the PGM smelters, and refineries of North America, Europe and Russia.
How can we help you?
SFA (Oxford) provides bespoke, independent intelligence on the strategic metal markets, specifically tailored to your needs. To find out more about what we can offer you, please contact us.