HPS Special news update

Keep(ing) Calm and Carry(ing on)

Our values as a business run deep, so when they are challenged we have this foundation to keep us steady.

CUSTOMER SERVICE – 98% on time and in full has taken decades to achieve

DOING WHAT WE SAY WE”LL DO – is central to our staff training

INTEGRITY – taking care how and who we do business with

Just over 2 weeks ago we had these very foundations challenged, you can read more about this on our website, after vandals broke in and caused havoc

But I want to tell you, whilst this rocked us, having our foundations enabled us to carry on.

Our team quickly got back to customer service – how can we fulfil orders. After all, three wagons were damaged. But High Peak Steels team went about thinking customers first!

The response from customers was overwhelming in terms of kind comments and best wishes.

We had said what we would do, so deliveries had to happen. Was there a blip in service. For sure, but managed calmly, getting on with the job is what staff did – something I’m hugely grateful to them for, as well as proud that they hold to our belief in good service.

As for the integrity, if I’m honest this hurt the most. The vandals mistakenly challenging our behaviour and motives. Many of our customers know for Anne and I our faith is the basis on which the business values are founded. It was this that perhaps rocked us most, yet leaning into these values is what has brought us through.

I want to thank our staff for their work and dedication and customers who were disrupted, for their patience.

We’re just about back to normal now and fortunately with new Wagons shortly to be delivered we’ll be driving customer service as hard as ever.

Thank you

Mark Thornley

NEW WAGONS

Scania Trucks to arrive any day. This marks another step in our ongoing growth as a business. Our fleet works hard every day with Wagons loaded and heading off early each day from High Peak Steels head office.

As demand for tonnage has increased, last year we invested in expanded warehousing offering considerably more storage and availability of engineering steels. The wagons then enable us to deliver a greater volume to more customers.

The new fleet is also another step in our drive to become more environmentally efficient. We’re not at the point yet to move to EV or Hydrogen, but see this will likely be in our next round in a few years, when the technology is able to meet the demands of heavy haulage.

Steel Delivery wagon from High Peak Steels

MARKET INSIGHT

With stable demand, for steel stock material, the question right now many engineers are asking is ‘where has the material “really” come from?’.

At High Peak Steels we stay very close to source, to ensure we maintain a close eye on quality and provenance of our material. We are often told we do not want Chinese material and of course with the war on Ukraine, Russia’s Steel is sanctioned. This is not the end of the story however, as some Turkish mills are taking raw Russian material and processing this – a back door way to get around Russian products. So care must be taken when sourcing. Europe is always popular, but the price is at at a rate some shy away from.

Consequently, we continue our buying research, for example we are looking to India, where very carefully selected mills can make the grade.

Knowing where steel comes from is a vital part of High Peak Steels approach to ensuring both quality and ethics are adhered to, so we spend time with our supply chain to provide customers clarity about quality and supply. A blanket view about a specific nations ability to produce high quality steel needs deeper evaluation; than it once did – caution however is always our focus.