Landlord Voice Magazine September 2015 - Sheffield | Page 12

FORGEMASTERS
Breaking FREE OF THE MOULD
“The reason we can continue to operate in a high-cost
western-European environment is through innovation”

A

lthough Sheffield is known as Steel
City it is perhaps unsurprising to
know that in terms of output by
volume, it, along with the rest of the UK, is
a minor player.

Sheffield Forgemasters, perhaps
the city’s proudest modern export, can
produce around 100,000 tonnes of steel per
year, which is really just a fraction of what
its counterparts in India and China can
churn out - with some plants producing
between 5-10 million tonnes per year.

But what helps the company
continue to live on in the face of such
competition is its ability to specialise and
diversify.

The firm, which employs
more than 750 people, is able to focus
on producing complex engineering
12 | LandlordVoice | September 2015

components and parts for a variety of
industries from containment vessels for
nuclear power stations, parts for wind
turbines and offshore structures through to
rolls for the production of sheet steel in the
automotive industry.

Mark Tomlinson, Forgemasters’
group development director, said few
plants worldwide could produce any single
piece of steel larger than 10 tonnes, while
the largest Forgemasters had made was
more than 600 tonnes – or the equivalent
in weight of a mile-and-a-half traffic jam.

“There is a group of about 6-12
companies in the world which can make
the things we can – and it is our knowledge
and experience of the processes we employ
which puts us at the top of those 12
companies,” said Mark.

“And the reason we can continue
to operate in a high-cost western-European
environment is through innovation.”

But it is no secret that falling oil
prices are having a dire effect on the North
Sea supply chain and manufacturing is
experiencing a tough time.

And so, in order to weather
such challenging times Forgemasters has
learned to vary its market offerings.

Mark said: “Since our
management buyout in 2005 we have tried
to keep a diverse product range and not to
be dependent on any one sector and our
general level of activity will switch areas
depending on how busy they are.

“So, at the moment we have seen
more interest from customers who are not
so busy taking the opportunity to re-vamp

their equipment.”

The company has also set up its
own research and development arm named
Sheffield Forgemasters RD26, which allows
it to simulate all of its projects through
computer-modelling before work is begun.

This allows the company to make
something completely new and have the
scientific know-how to go ahead based on
virtual, rather than physical prototypes.

It also works closely with
the University of Sheffield Advanced
Manufacturing Research Centre to develop
technical capabilities and innovative
manufacturing techniques, which help it
stay at the forefront of the civil nuclear
supply chain.

Sheffield has one of the highest
student retention rates in the country –
which means there is a plentiful supply of
graduate recruits for its qualified engineers
and scientists to help keep Forgemasters
at the top of the advanced manufacturing
pecking order.

Mark said: “One thing we have
to acknowledge is that all the companies
in the Sheffield region are reasonably

specialist
Mark Tomlinson
– there
Group Development
are not
Director - Forgemasters
many people
who do what we
do.

“It is not always easy
to get someone and fit them into a hole
we have so we do have to grow our own
– the skills are there but there has to be a
cont [