Murray Metals acquires Sheffield steel group

publication date: Apr 7, 2008

Fast-growing Murray Metals Group has confirmed the acquisition of Hillfoot Steel Group in Sheffield.
Hillfoot Steel Group Limited, which operates in the oil and gas and engineering industries, has 187 employees and an annual turnover of £43 million. Its Oil & Gas division comprises the Hytemp business, which supplies nickel alloy forgings and bars to wellhead manufacturers and their suppliers and The Forge business, which offers a complementary forging capability. Hytemp’s high-value, high-quality products are predominately used in the global sub-sea sector.
The Stockholding division, based in Sheffield and Washington, Tyne and Wear, has a throughput of 18,000 tonnes per annum and includes an engineered-components supply business, Precision Components. 
Graeme Hill, Chief Executive of Murray Metals Group, said the acquisition – for an undisclosed sum - would enable MMG to broaden its products and services in oil and gas and stockholding and underlined its strategic ambitions in these key markets. MMG is the UK’s largest independent steel stockholder and processor of both general steel and specialist metals.
“HIllfoot Steel Group has an outstanding reputation and is renowned for the high quality of its products, services and people,” said Mr Hill. “This acquisition is further testimony to our ongoing plans to build through organic growth and the acquisition of businesses that share our strategic outlook, ambition and service delivery.”
Stephen Hepplewhite, Chief Executive of Hillfoot Steel Group Limited, which was established in 1923, said: “We are delighted to be joining the expanding family of Murray Metals companies. We share with Murray Metals a focus on customer service, business growth and delivering value.
“Customers are increasingly looking for partners to deliver the products and services that support their growth and for these reasons we believe this union is a perfect match.”
Murray Metals Group is part of rapidly-expanding Murray International Holdings (MIH), a multi-faceted business employing over 4000 people across the world and with interests in metals, property, private equity, outsourced services and football.
It is one of the world's most successful and fastest-growing independent metal businesses, with a combined turnover (post the Hillfoot acquisition) of over £300 million. MMG has operational centres across the UK, Europe and Asia and now employs almost 600 people. It is involved in a range of steel and special metal supply and processing services to various market sectors worldwide.