Steel specialist sees demand and margins on the rise in spite of slow start to 2016

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Steel specialist Billington has reported a 63% increase in pre-tax profit for 2015 to 拢3.1m, up from 拢1.9m in 2014.

Revenue was also up 26% to 拢56.7m for the year, up from 拢45m, as it delivered its strongest financial results in five years.

The steel speclialist鈥檚 good results were attributed to increased demand for structural steel.

Operating margins rose to 5.4%, up from 4.2%, but both were still below pre-recession levels.

Towards the end of the year Billington said it completed its acquisition of the land, buildings and associated trading assets of Sherling Steel UK in Shafton for the sum of 拢4.9m to support the company鈥檚 expansion plans.

Billington chief executive Mark Smith said 2015 had been a 鈥渟ignificant year鈥� for the company and that its prospects in 2016 looked 鈥減ositive鈥� and the firm was aiming to improve operating margins further, while investigating new, complementary business opportunities.

However, he added that margins remained tight across the industry as a result of some existing latent capacity and Billington鈥檚 structural steel division had experienced a 鈥渟low start鈥� to the year which due to delayed contracts and adverse weather conditions that have affected on-site progress.

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