Michael Horan, the managing director of West Bromwich-based Liberty Performance Steels, will next month become
president of the National Association of Steel Service Centres (NASS) — a body he has already served as vice-president.

Mr Horan has nearly 30 years of experience in the metals industry; he began his career with Rio Tinto — in lead and zinc refining — and subsequently held a succession of senior roles in the UK and Europe with British Steel, Corus and Tata Steel.

He joined Liberty Performance Steels in 2016; it produces precision strip steel that is used in saw and knife blades and is sold in more than 50 countries world-wide.

NASS (www.nass.org.uk), which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, represents the interests of steel service centres around the UK that collectively handle around three million tonnes of steel a year, principally for the engineering, automotive and construction industries.

The organisation has specialist groups for flat products, long products, plate and profiles. Mr Horan (www.libertyperformancesteel.com) said: “It’s a great honour to be asked to serve the UK’s steel service centres in this way.

“They play a vital role in ensuring the health and success of the steel industry overall, and it’s very important that their voice is heard loud and clear when Government and others are discussing the future of the sector, especially given the multiple international issues affecting the industry right now.”