Lockley Stainless has relocated to a new purpose-built service and processing centre, marking a significant investment in the UK stainless steel distribution industry and asserting the business as a leading supplier.
The company’s new 50,000 sq ft site represents the first investment by an independent steel company in a new UK-owned flat product coil service centre in the UK for over a decade. A 12-month construction project involved the construction of purpose-designed facilities for steel processing, warehouse and distribution facilities, together with new UK headquarters for the Lockley Group.
The new stainless steel service centre has the very latest technology in flat product processing. This will include a new coil to sheet line, considered to be the most advanced of its kind in the UK, which will decoil coils up to 25M/T.  Commissioning and full operation is expected by July 2008.
Additionally, from extensive stocks of various grades, the new processing centre will offer cut-to length material of sheet and plate, together with sheet polishing up to 8m x 2m. It also offers flat bar and tube polishing.    
The new integrated facilities presents customers with major new benefits in materials procurement and planning, providing customer-specific, non-standard size and surface finish requirements, within tight delivery schedules.
Located in Wolverhampton close to M54 and M6, the new site will become the UK head office of Lockley Group. This comprises three services centres in Dewsbury (W.Yorkshire), Cambridge and now the Wolverhampton processing centre, providing a complete national service network.
Lockley’s strengthened position in the UK industry is further underlined by the  recent appointment of a new high profile Managing Director, Barrie Newitt, who joined Lockley from a major global stainless steel group. He will lead further development and expansion of the Lockley Group business. 
Recruitment of additional specialist staff has also accompanied the relocation and business expansion. New appointments have been made in sales and customer services, all with extensive stainless industry experience, together with operational and logistics specialists. The company’s has further strengthened its multi-lingual sales and service team which serves both the UK and international customers.
Lockley Stainless is unique in the UK. It now claims to be the country’s largest independent stainless steel supplier and processor (in private ownership rather than mill or investment group control).
The company has developed a supply and distribution model that is difficult to compare in the UK industry. It offers the market something new and different. Independent of a single mill, Lockley’s capacity and strong supply channels with leading global stainless mills, provides stability and flexibility in material supply. Coupled with its new facilities to process material to meet individual customer material requirements and supply schedules. Lockley offer a dependable and responsive service for customers seeking better and more receptive relationships from their stainless steel supplier.