Overview

Metals Industry
The UK steel industry is exceptional in that it can supply into any application in any market in the world. Not only is it the UK's fourth largest manufacturing exporter, but it is also one of the world's most export-orientated steel industries, exporting 50% of its production (compared to a world traded steel average of 37%) to 200 countries. 60% of its exports go to EU members. Britain's steel industry has improved its productivity performance by nearly 10% each year for the last 20 years.

For many years worldwide demand has grown steadily in the non-ferrous metals industries sector. More aluminium is produced each year than any other non-ferrous metal, its main user industries in the UK being transport, construction and packaging. Construction takes up 54% of the market of extrusions, most of this being suitable for export. Of the other major base metals processed, copper accounts for nearly 50% of the sector's total net output, but the UK is also the world's third largest producer of lead.

The UK's metal forming and finishing industries employ around 250,000 people in 7,000 companies, which account for about £8 billion of sales. Whilst some technologies are very well established, others are newly emerging.

Increasingly, metal forming companies are producing specialised products or systems aimed at particular markets. In addition to direct exports, many of the component parts produced by the sector are indirectly exported via overseas sales of the end product - e.g. as vital components in a diverse range of products, from jet engine turbine blades to artificial hips.

Government Partnership with the Metals & Minerals (Products & Processing) Sector

The Department of Trade & Industry's (DTI) Materials and Engineering Sector Unit (MESU)
The DTI's Materials and Engineering Sector Unit (MESU) aims to be the trusted Partner for companies, organisations and individuals who are pioneering change and driving up productivity in the Materials and Engineering sectors in the context of sustainable development.  The Unit will aim to work within Government and with others to help improve the business environment and eliminate the barriers that hold these businesses back. Teams of dedicated “Relationship Managers” will build and maintain relationships with companies and intermediaries in order to understand better the issues that impact on the productivity and competitiveness of business and to deliver business friendly results.  For general enquiries, please contact:

Materials and Engineering Sector Unit
151 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 9SS
Tel: 020 7215 5000

For further information on specific areas of this sector, please contact:

Metals

Forging industry
Nick Morgan
Email: nick.morgan@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1105

Foundry industry
Brian Greenwood
Email: brian.greenwood@dti.gsi.gov.uk 
Tel: 020 7215 1081

Metal-finishing industry
Brian Greenwood
Email: brian.greenwood@dti.gsi.gov.uk 
Tel: 020 7215 1081

Metal recycling
Brian Greenwood
Email: brian.greenwood@dti.gsi.gov.uk 
Tel: 020 7215 1081

Metal packaging
Nick Morgan
Email: nick.morgan@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1105

Non-ferrous (except copper)
Phil Bennett
E-mail: phil.bennett@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1456

Non-ferrous (copper)
Annie Norgrove
E-mail: annie.norgrove@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel 020 7215 1098

Other metal-forming industries
Nick Morgan
Email: nick.morgan@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1105

Sheet metal-working industries
Nick Morgan
Email: nick.morgan@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1105

Surface-engineering industries
Brian Greenwood
Email: brian.greenwood@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1081

Steel Production
Zoe Dayan
Email; zoe.dayan@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1049

Steel Stockholding
Zoe Dayan
Email; zoe.dayan@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1049

Steelwork fabrication
Zoe Dayan
Email; zoe.dayan@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1049

Minerals

Industrial minerals, refractories and industrial ceramics
Annie Norgrove
Email: annie.norgrove@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7215 1098

Schemes and Initiatives

British Geological Survey (BGS) Minerals Programme
The BGS Minerals Programme contains two key elements:

(1) the Minerals Information and Advisory Service, and
(2) the promotion and enhancement of mineral wealth - aimed at stimulating private sector investment in the optimal development and use of Britain's mineral resources, and the transfer to industry of related enabling technology (especially IT).

Any firm may apply, but it would be of particular interest to SMEs in the UK minerals sector. Contact details and further information about the programme are available on the British Geological Survey (BGS) Minerals Programme DTI web page and on the Minerals in Britain website. Information on BGS services is available on the BGS website.

Competitiveness of the UK Steel Industry
The DTI works closely with the steel industry to improve the competitiveness of the sector and encourage adoption of best practice. The UK Steel Association, together with its subsidiary, Steel Training Ltd, have taken forward a number of collaborative projects in recent years, designed to improve the business performance of their member companies. Projects are supported by DTI with the trade associations and participating companies making in-kind and cash contributions. DTI also works closely with the National Association of Steel Stockholders, the British Constructional Steelwork Association and the Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association to improve the performance of their member companies.

Eligibility for the on-going projects is through membership of the UK Steel Association, which is open to any company involved in steel production or primary transformation of steel. Contact details and further information about the programme are available on the Competitiveness of the UK Steel Industry DTI web page.

Steel Industry National Training Organisation Schemes
Business Excellence: Continuous Improvement
The EFQM Excellence Model is a powerful business tool, used by a growing number of steel and metals companies to achieve business excellence through continuous improvement.

The Steel Industry NTO has developed a service for steel and metals companies, which makes it easy for them to assess against the model.

Business Excellence: Best practice
The Steel Industry NTO has access to best practice information through its links with companies both inside and outside the steel and metals industry, and also via the DTI's Connect for Better Business software programme, which is unique to NTOs.

Metals Industry Competitive Enterprise (MICE)
MICE is a new £1.6 million DTI-funded initiative, which seeks to deliver long-term improvement in sector competitiveness through the practical transfer of best manufacturing practice at company level.

MICE is led by the Steel Industry NTO in partnership with the sector's three major trade associations; UK Steel Association, National Association of Steel Stockholders (NASS) and the Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM). It is also supported by major companies throughout the sector, the EEF and other industry bodies. For more information on MICE and how your company can get involved, contact Malcolm Leick.

Management Development
The Steel Industry NTO has been working on a three-year project, Steel Industry Managers in the 21st Century. One of the key outputs of this project is a Management Development Framework, which helps companies match the development of individual managers against their corporate strategy. The framework is currently undergoing in-company trials. For details contact Malcolm Leick, or for information on specific management development training courses and tools, please contact Roger Faulkner.

The ICT Carrier Programme aims to improve the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in engineering industries by helping support adoption and transfer of successful existing applications of ICT into or between engineering sectors.

New ISERBS - Payments to Redundant Steelworkers

The UK Steel industry has been undergoing fundamental changes which have led companies involved in the production of goods covered by the European Coal & Steel community (ECSC) Treaty to discontinue, curtail and change their activities. This has led to substantial job cuts. In response to these circumstances, on 3 May 2001, the Secretary of State for Trade & Industry announced a number of measures to assist the individuals and communities affected.

These measures included a proposal to make lump payments to redundant to steel workers. The payments are based on Article 56 of the ECSC Treaty which provides for aid to steel employees who have lost their jobs as a result of restructuring in the industry. The European funding towards the payments is drawn from payments made into ECSC funds by steel producers. The payment scheme is similar to an earlier scheme to assist steelworkers called the Iron & Steel Employees Re-Adaptation Scheme (ISERBS). Further details of the payments can be found here.

Specific Export Help for the Metals & Minerals (Products & Processing) Sector

UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment is the Government Organisation that brings together the work of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) in support of British trade and investment overseas.

Sector specific export help for Metals & Minerals (Products & Processing) can be found on the Trade Partners UK website.

Other Sector Contacts

Listed below is a selection of organisations that can offer assistance to companies in this sector.
A more extensive list of Trade Associations in this sector can be found at the Trade Association Forum site at www.taforum.org

The UK Steel Association
Email: enquiries@uksteel.org.uk
Tel: 020 7343 3150
Fax: 020 7343 3190

The UK Steel Association (UK Steel) represents the industry to policy and opinion formers, promotes the industry and the importance of steel to the public and provides information and services to its members.

The British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd
Email: enquiries@bcsa.org.uk
Tel: 020 7839 8566
Fax: 020 7976 1634

The BCSA plays a leading and important role in helping and promoting the constructional steel industry. The BCSA has alliances with other trade associations whose activities are likely to affect their sector and also works closely with both the DTI and DETR on competitiveness and general construction issues.

National Association of Steel Stockholders
Email: info@nass.org.uk
Tel: 0121 200 2288
Fax: 0121 237 7444

NASS represents many of the steel stockholding and service centres which operate in the UK. Stockholders supply material in standard lengths or cut, saw, drill, paint etc to customer requirements and deliver on a just in time basis. In addition to supplying mainly local customers, often from a national network of sites, NASS members are also able to supply from stock a range of niche market steels and sometimes in small quantities.

Metals Industry Skills and Performance (Metskill)
Email: enquiries@metskill.co.uk
Tel: 0114 244 6833
Fax: 0114 256 2855

Owned and led by steel industry member companies, the NTO works in formal partnership with all the key trade associations to ensure that education and training strategies are effective across the whole of the UK steel sector. It promotes the importance of training and education, assesses training needs and develops strategies to meet those needs including the development of training materials.

Cast Metals Federation
The National Metalforming Centre
47 Birmingham Road
West Bromwich
West Midlands
B70 6PY

Email: admin@cmfed.co.uk
Tel: 0121 601 6390
Fax: 0121 601 6391
CMF is the single trade body for the UK castings industry.

Castings Technology International
7 East Bank Road
Sheffield S2 3PT
Email: info@castingstechnology.com
Tel: 0114 272 8647
Fax: 0114 273 0852

The Research and Technology Organisation for the foundry industry involved in the development and application of advanced casting design and manufacturing technologies. CTI is working closely with the industry and trade associations to take forward competitiveness and productivity issues and is involved in both National Metals Technology Centre (NAMTEC) and the Advanced Metals Technology Initiative (AMTI).

Surface Engineering Association
Federation House
10 Vyse Street
Birmingham B18 6LT
Email: info@sea.org.uk
Tel: 0121 237 1122/3
Fax: 0121 237 1124

The SEA represents the metal finishing industries including electroplating, heat treatment, paint and powder coatings and other surface treatments.

Confederation of British Metalforming
The National Metalforming Centre
47 Birmingham Road
West Bromwich
West Midlands
B70 6PY

Email:info@britishmetalforming.com
Tel: 0121 601 6350
Fax: 0121 601 6391

The forging, fastener and sheetmetal presswork industries are represented by the CBM. Competiveness issues are being addressed through the metalforming 20/20 programme.

European Powder Metallurgy Association
Old Bank Buildings
Bellstone
Shrewsbury SY1 1HU
Email: info@epma.com
Tel: 01743 248899
Fax: 01743 362968

A Europe-wide trade association based in the UK, EPMA's UK Chapter has reviewed the challenges and opportunities facing the powder metallurgy industry as a Foresight project.

Aluminium Federation Limited
Broadway House
Calthorpr Road
Five Ways
Birmingham B15 1TN
Email: alfed@alfed.org.uk
Website: www.alfed.org.uk
Tel: 0121 456 1103
Fax: 0121 456 2274

Zinc Information Centre/Galvanizers Association
Wrens Court
56 Victoria Road
Sutton Coalfield
B72 1SY
Tel: 0121 355 8838
Fax: 0121 355 8727

Lead Development Association International
42 Weymouth Street
London
W1N 3LQ
Tel: 020 7499 8422
Fax: 020 7493 1555
Website: www.ldaint.org

Nickel Development Institute
42 Weymouth Street
London W1N 3LQ
Tel: 020 7493 7999
Fax: 020 7493 1555

British Non-Ferrous Metals Federation
10 Greenfield Crescent
Birmingham B15 3AU
Email: copperuk@compuserve.com
Tel: 0121 456 3322
Fax: 0121 456 1394

Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association
Sienna Court
The Broadway
Maidenhead
Berkshire SL6 1NJ
Email: tony.woods@btclick.com.uk
Tel: 01628 509029
Fax: 01628 509100

General Business Support, Schemes and Initiatives

DTI For Business
This page lists many of the initiatives that the DTI and other parts of Government currently operate. Included on this page are links with various support schemes and initiatives.

DTI Information Age
This page lists many of the initiatives that the DTI and other parts of Government currently operate. Included on this page are links with schemes and initiatives offering guidance and advice relating to new technology and fast access to information.

DTI International Trade and Investment
This page offers a comprehensive menu of links to sites offering support to exporters (through UK Trade & Investment), investors in the UK and importers into the UK.

Companies House
From this site, you can link to a wide range of Government sites and Professional Bodies that can provide general guidance and support for all UK companies.

The Trade Association Forum
The Trade Association Forum helps associations to deliver best practice to members.

Small Business Service
The Small Business Service operate a number of schemes and initiatives that are designed to help small businesses in a variety of ways. Further information found on their website.

Regulatory Guidance

DTI Regulatory Guidance provides general guidance from the DTI and also links to other relevant DTI web pages.

The Direct Access Government website provides guidance issued by other Government Departments.