Global steel and engineering business, Liberty Industries Group, part of the GFG Alliance, has appointed ex Tata senior steel executive Michael Horan as Managing Director of Liberty Performance Steels, as Liberty House Group continues its ambitious growth plans with a series of high ranking appointments across its rapidly expanding UK operations.

Liberty Performance Steels is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high quality precision steel strip, supplying industries including automotive, construction and general manufacturing, among others.

The company owns two well established brands – J B & S Lees and Firth Cleveland Steel Strip, and operates a North America focused distribution arm – Liberty Performance Steels Inc. The combined business is recognised as a global market leader in a number of product categories including woodcutting and metal cutting bandsaw strip and hardened and tempered handsaw strip. Over 70% of all steel strip produced by the business is incorporated into saw blades and knife blades of all types and the company exports over 67% of its production volume to customers in more than 50 countries.

Mr Horan has had an extensive career in the steel industry spanning twenty five years and joins Liberty from Tata Steel Europe, where he has held senior executive roles within sales, distribution and strip processing in the UK and Europe. His most recent role was Head of Digital for Tata Steel Europe, where he was responsible for developing and implementing all e-selling, e-marketing and e-service strategies across European operations.

Prior to this Michael ran strip and long products services through the UK for Tata Steel Distribution, before joining Tata’s European Service Centre division, where he spent nine months working across the Nordics in Finland, Sweden and Norway.

Beyond his commercial roles, in 2015 Michael completed his MBA in Engineering at Sheffield Business School and he also served as Vice President of the National Association of Steel Service Centres for five years up until 2015.

Speaking about his new role, Michael said: “It’s an exciting and inspiring time to be joining the Liberty team and to be leading the Liberty Performance Steels business. We have a tremendous product and a team who can really add value for our customers. In keeping with Liberty’s approach we will focus on quality, service and innovation. I’m looking forward to getting started.”

Chief Executive of Liberty Industries Group, Douglas Dawson said: “I am delighted to welcome Michael to the Liberty family. He has an excellent, very relevant and diverse body of knowledge regarding our business and the UK & European steel markets. This will be an invaluable asset for Liberty Industries as we continue to progress with our impressive expansion plans both in the UK and further afield.”