Manufacturing & Supply Chain

Newry-based steel fabrication company, BM Steel has won its first business in Holland & Great Britain, estimated to be worth £800,000 in its first year. The contract is a joint venture with GB structural engineering firm, JB Towers, to supply the company’s products to DAEL Telecomm to service Holland and GB’s telecomm market.

Mike Mathers, Director of BM Steel, said: “In the last six months we have doubled our workforce and almost trebled our turnover. This is due to our ambitious growth strategy and our focus on exporting to help our business grow. Exporting is literally transforming our business and we are very keen to expand further into the GB and Europe markets and grow our customer base globally.”

BM Steel was established in 2004 and has grown to become a leading provider of Component Parts and Bespoke Structures. The company is a major supplier to Cargotec Ireland and offers works in structural steel and corresponding architectural works, having recently completed projects in London and Scotland.

“The support and training we have received from Invest NI has helped to increase our confidence in many areas from promoting and selling our products, to how to approach a meeting with a potential buyer,” he added.

The company has availed of a range of Invest NI trade support to help secure this new contract, most recently visiting the GB market where it met with a number of potential buyers.

Alison Gowdy, Invest NI’s Director of Trade, said: “Securing this major contract with one of Holland’s biggest players in the telecommunications industry, DAEL Telecomm, is not only a great result but will also open up more opportunities for the company. This experience has helped it develop the skills and confidence to make professional sales presentations and win new business. Supporting ambitious Northern Ireland businesses like BM Steel to identify new export markets, and then grow in those markets, is the main aim of the support we offer. BM Steel is a great example of a company which has seized the opportunity to build its business in global markets. We want to see more companies like this capitalise on their exporting potential.”

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Pictured (L-R): Mike Mathers, Director of BM Steel, and Alison Gowdy, Invest Northern Ireland.