Senior Liberty director to take on key industry leadership role

Mr Horan, who has nearly 30 years’ experience in the metals industry, will next month become president of the National Association of Steel Service Centres (NASS), a body he has already served as vice-president.

A graduate engineer by background, he began his career with Rio Tinto, in lead and zinc refining, and subsequently held a succession of senior operational and commercial roles in the UK and wider EU with British Steel, Corus and eventually Tata Steel UK and Tata Steel Europe.

He joined West Bromwich-based Liberty Performance Steels in 2016 and heads an operation which produces precision strip steel used in saw and knife blades sold in more than 50 countries worldwide.

NASS, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, represents the interests of steel service centres right across the UK and who collectively handle around three million tonnes of steel a year, principally for the engineering, automotive and construction industries. In addition to supporting service centres generally, the organisation has specialist groups for flat products, long products, plate and profiles.

Mr Horan said: “It’s a great honour to be asked to serve the UK’s steel service centres in this way. They play a vital role in ensuring the health and success of the steel industry overall and it’s very important that their voice is heard loud and clear when government and others are discussing the future of the sector, especially given the multiple international issues affecting the industry right now.”

Peter Corfield, director general of NASS said: “I have known Michael for a number of years as we were colleagues in British Steel, Corus and Tata Steel. NASS is delighted that Michael will be taking on the presidency role at our next annual general meeting in October and we look forward to him consolidating and building on the professional foundation that has been developed in recent years.”