wiredInUSA December 2017

Bending venture

Wire buy

Alan Pickering, joint managing director

UK-based integrated long products steel maker British Steel has completed the purchase of the Dutch wire rod producer FNsteel, thereby expanding its wire rod range with new specifications. “This acquisition not only expands our international footprint, it complements our current operations – enabling us to increase our product portfolio and offer a higher technical specification of rod to our customers,” said British Steel chief executive Peter Bernscher. “We’re looking forward to working in partnership with the FNsteel team to deliver the high quality wire rod our customers, current and new, rightly expect.” FNsteel employs nearly 300 people in Alblasserdam, near Rotterdam, and will continue to trade under its current name. The company manufactures wire rod of between 5.5 and 30mm in diameter, and supplies to the European automotive, construction and engineering industries. British Steel already employs around 300 people at its Scunthorpe rod mill, where it produces wire rod in diameters of 5.5 to 17mm in 0.5mm increments.

Scarborough, uk-based Unison Ltd, manufacturer of tube bending machines and simulation software, has entered into a joint venture with Pneuform Machines Ltd, leading to full integration within the Unison group. The joint venture will strengthen Unison’s portfolio by adding a range of small diameter tube and wire bending machines. Alan Pickering, joint managing director at Unison Ltd, said: “The partnership will see new product lines added to our product portfolio, which already houses the world’s largest range of all-electric tube bending machinery and sits alongside our Evbend range of machines. Unison Ltd is committed to delivering the same high level of service and industry expertise Pneuform’s clients have grown to expect over the past 50-plus years.” Pneuform considers that the joint venture will enhance the marketing and technical development of the range of machines it produces, with the Pneuform range supported jointly by Unison and Pneuform. “The joint venture will secure future ongoing support for existing customers and provide confidence that the bending machines will continue to be developed, supported and marketed into the long-term future,” a spokesman said.

wiredInUSA - December 2017

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