Domestic steel shortage bites UK manufacturers

- Published: 25 May, 2007

High prices and lack of availability in the steel market was one of the issues beginning to bite into the machinery sector at IFFA. Ian Darlington, head of operations UK and Ireland for Armor Innox, said: "Steel commodity prices have gone through the roof and availability is suffering. The Chinese are scooping a lot of the steel up." Other exhibitors said the price of steel had climbed by 300% recently. Darlington said his business was now having to divert time to sourcing steel and also stockpiling it, which again was adding to the costs. "We have a full order book, but if you can't get the material, you can't build the equipment," he added.

His company was also showcasing its new 2.5m cooking moulds for hams which have been developed initially for the US market.