An international construction firm has pledged its business to British Steel.
Reidsteel, the company behind the delivery of bridges, hospitals and sports stadia around the world, has made the company at the centre of a rescue deal from Jingye Group its primary long-term supplier.
The policy decision from the £20 million turnover firm covers the wide range of buildings and structures in the UK, Europe and beyond.
Managing director of the structural steel specialist, Simon Boyd, made the commitment after a two-day visit taking in British Steel’s Scunthorpe and Teesside sites.
A delegation from the Dorset team – in its centenary year – took in the steelmaking process.
Mr Boyd said: “Both our businesses share a strong reputation for quality in British manufacturing and engineering worldwide.
“We have been, and continue to be, a supporter of retaining steelmaking in the UK and we are pleased to confirm that our relationship is now stronger than ever.”
He was joined on the visits by commercial director Tim Cook, steel buyer Dave Watmore and production manager Alan Stone, who head up a 130-strong team in Christchurch.
Mr Boyd added: “The visit to British Steel was a fantastic opportunity for us to see iron ore go through the processes to make steel slabs that then get changed into many different products.
“We saw rail sections being formed as well as standard steel beams that we then take and fabricate in the UK into a whole range of steel structures and export worldwide.”
Reidsteel, a four-time Queen’s Award winner, designs and manufactures entire steel buildings, including cladding and glazing. It has worked in more than 140 countries. Disaster resilient buildings and defensive structures are part of the far-reaching portfolio, as well as churches, schools, commercial and industrial buildings, warehouses and advanced aircraft hangars – with the business beginning with rudimentary cattle shed adaptations soon after the First World War.
It has just completed a somewhat more technical facility at Biggin Hill, Kent, while also handing over a new hospitality facility at Thruxton race circuit in Hampshire.
The visit came after Jingye Group agreed a deal with the Official Receiver to buy British Steel.
Ben Cunliffe, commercial director for construction at British Steel, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Simon and the delegation from Reidsteel.
“Working more closely together will deliver real benefits for our clients as well as British Steel and the wider UK economy as a whole.”
