A BURGEONING steel company’s plant has hit a near ten-year high and retained an industry mark giving it greater scope to seize contracts, The Northern Echo can reveal.

British Steel told The Northern Echo the Teesside Beam Mill, near Redcar, has achieved its best manufacturing quarter for almost a decade.

The operation has also retained a top industry benchmark officials say highlights its position as a responsible supplier and gives it greater chance of securing projects.

The successes, which will be further enhanced in the coming months when the Beam Mill begins rolling steel for Scunthorpe United’s new 12,000-seat football stadium, came as British Steel unveiled its new signage at sites across the North-East.

The business, founded earlier this year from Tata Steel’s Long Products division, is owned by investor Greybull Capital and employs nearly 900 people across the North-East and York.

Its signs have gone up at the Beam Mill, as well as at a special profiles factory, in Skinningrove, east Cleveland, and a Darlington steel finishing site.

Richard Sims, British Steel’s product director for sections and special profiles on Teesside, said: “We are hugely proud of the business and are delighted to see the new signs on display.

“We have a rich heritage on Teesside and there is a great deal of pride in the local steel industry.

“We’re embracing that and looking to the future.

“But, while it’s great to see the new signs, we will be judged on the quality of our products and the services we provide.

“Our aim is to become the steel supplier of choice and we aim to meet customers’ needs first time, every time.”

The company says retention of its industry accreditation means it has overriding proof of its environmental performance and commitment to sustainability, which will be crucial in future orders.

Gail Raeburn, customer technical services engineer, said: “In light of the Government specifying all steel for large infrastructure projects should come from responsible suppliers, it demonstrates our social and environmental credentials in the marketplace.

“Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the construction industry, as homes and businesses account for 45 per cent of the UK’s total carbon emissions.

“By retaining our accreditation, we are showing our construction and rail customers we are committed to continuously improving our performance and helping them achieve their targets.”

New guidelines, introduced last autumn, mean central Government departments must consider the social and economic impact of the steel they source over all major projects.

Earlier this year, the Government said the public sector will be required to adopt a similar policy for all relevant contracts.

Greybull paid £1 to buy Long Products, which also includes a York design base, off Indian steelmaker Tata.

In late June, British Steel announced a deal with Teesside’s Materials Processing Institute to strengthen research and development on rail and construction goods and, just days later, revealed it would provide steel for Scunthorpe United’s stadium.