Firm steeled for new chapter

After more than 30 years, Halesowen's ASK McGowan processing centre is operating under a new name as part of the world's biggest steel businesses – the £30 billion ArcelorMittal giant.

Although part of ArcelorMittall since the steel group was formed in a merger in 2006, ASK McGowan has continued using its old name until this year, when it was dubbed ArcelorMittal Birmingham SSC UK.

Before that the business had built up a strong reputation as one of the UK's leading suppliers of slit coil steel for the construction industry – sheets of steel cut into varying widths.

From its custom-built factory in Halesowen, where it has been based since 2000, the company has supplied the whole of the UK and Ireland with sheet steel.

The site can process more than 170,000 tons of steel every year, from hot rolled steel to galvanised, coated, tin-plated or "pickled and oiled" – treated with acid to remove oxide from the surface and oiled to prevent rusting.

Tony Whale, company secretary and accountant, said: "Our wealth of knowledge comes from a strong employee base which includes over 100 years of experience in the sales department, over 300 years in production and over 40 in finance with no fewer than seven out of the 33 employees having achieved 25 years."

As part of the ArcelorMittal Group the Halesowen business is now part of the biggest steel company in the world, producing 118 million tons a year.

Mr Whale said the renamed AMSSC Birmingham operation would now be working a lot more closely with its partner companies in the UK, which includes sites in Manchester as well as in Wolverhampton.