TPi January 2008

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Tube Products International January 2008
news
business & market
SSC Laser Cutting
opens sales
branch
SSC Laser Cutting, UK, is a subcontract
laser cutting company specialising in flat
bed, tube and box section laser cutting
on a range of materials, including mild
steel, stainless steel and aluminium.
The company also provides an in-
house CAD service and has press
braking and laser quality control
scanning facilities.
The company produces components
for a wide range of industries, including
yellow goods, automotive, construction
and engineering. Its work ranges from
producing small-scale products for
individuals and small businesses to
acting as a regular supplier for well-
established, international organisations.
SSC opened its first sales branch in
February 2007. SSC North East, located
in Sunderland, UK, acts as a base for the
region, giving the company a stronger
presence in the area and extending its
coverage across the UK.
The North East branch is initially a sales
division supported by the manufacturing
facility at the company’s headquarters
in Staffordshire.
SSC’s UK sales director Andy Evans (right)
welcomes Colin Hewitt, area sales manager
North, to the company
The company plans to install machinery
at the North East site as it progresses,
giving the branch its own manufacturing
capability.
The introduction of the North East
division represents the first step in a
long-term expansion project developed
by the company.
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The BSS Group, UK, sells, markets and
distributes heating, plumbing, pipeline,
tools, industrial supplies and mechanical
services equipment in the UK and
Ireland. The group has three divisions:
domestic, industrial and specialist. BSS
Pipeline and Heating Solutions is part of
the Group’s industrial division.
The company has opened a new national
distribution centre for linear product at
CrossPoint BusinessPark, nearCoventry,
UK. The new 47,500ft2 centre represents
the company’s single largest investment
in distribution since the opening of its
Magna Park warehouse in Leicestershire,
and will enable BSS to offer a unique
service to its current customer base
and help to develop into wider markets,
including the water, power generation,
food and beverage industries.
Frank Elkins, managing director, said,
“This national distribution centre will
dramatically increase our ability to
supply linear product to the market.
It will give us the capacity to make
up to three deliveries per week to our
nationwide network of 56 branches, on
a lead time of either 24 or 48 hours. This
excellent rate of turn around means we
can offer our customers a consistent
service, on a wider range of product
than ever before.”
BSS lines up new facility
BSS has traditionally provided linear
product and technical support to the
building services industry, while servicing
a small number of specialist accounts.
With its new capabilities, the company
is looking to expand its reach to a
wider range of industries including
water, pharmaceuticals, food and
drink, chemical, power, ship building,
automotive, dairy and aggregates.
Mr Elkins added, “Within our business
we have had the specialist knowledge
to support these niche markets for many
years, but up until now we didn’t have
infrastructure in place to support the
product requirements.”
The new facility has the capacity to store
2,600 bundles of tube, and the stock
profile will include all types of linear
product, including 1387, API, stainless
and plastic. It is serviced by a new fleet
of articulated vehicles, and customers
will also be offered the facility to collect
direct. The facility began trading in
August 2007, but was officially opened
on 25 September by BSS Group CEO,
Gavin Slark.
BSS – UK
Photo – Muller Europe Ltd, see page 12