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Steel supply chain’s skills on show

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The Steel for Life sector articles which we launched this year are proving to be a popular feature with readers, throwing the spotlight on sectors and companies throughout the supply chain whose achievements and abilities, although crucial to the success of steel construction, can sometimes be taken for granted.

We have featured articles on Steel for Life Headline Sponsors as well as articles on key sectors, all of which provided new information about the variety of steel supply chain specialisms. In particular, how they work, recent advances in process and technology, and what the future might bring.

In this issue we profile a Steel for Life Headline Sponsor, family owned stockholder Barrett Steel, a leading force in its sector with a 150 year history and an ambitious investment led development programme. This profile along with July’s sector article shows how sophisticated steel processing services offered by stockholders are today, a far cry from the past when the main role of the stockholder was to break bulk.

Fabrication equipment manufacturing is the subject of one of our Steel for Life Sector Focus articles this month, and we can clearly see the benefits of investment led development there. Computer Numerically Controlled machinery has long been the industry standard, and its early adoption by steelwork contractors is today helping with a seamless move to Building Information Modelling.

Upgrading or expanding fabrication workshops isn’t just a matter of purchasing new machines, but involves close cooperation – often using simulation software – between equipment manufacturers and steelwork contractors to plan optimal workshop layouts that promote efficient working. The next stage in development could lead to even more automated workshops, perhaps even managed remotely. And the workshop of the near future could certainly involve robots as well as cobots, which involve human and machines working together.

There wouldn’t be a steel sector of course if steel itself wasn’t manufactured, one of the original foundation industries which involves sourcing raw materials worldwide and combining them with world class manufacturing expertise. Our Sector Focus is written as the steelmaking sector  continues to focus on improving the efficiency of steel production to drive down costs and further reduce its environmental impact, as well as creating new steel grades with enhanced properties.

The bulk of NSC still focuses on the projects where all of this expertise comes together, and we have some excellent examples in this issue including major commercial schemes, sensitive development on a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a student accommodation project. We look forward to keeping readers up to date with the achievements of the steel sector’s world leading specialists in 2017.

Nick Barrett
Editor

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