History of MTT

Metals Technology was established in 1983, under the name ‘The Metals Technology Company’ (MTC). Initially, the company was formed as a consultancy to give technical advice to small and medium sized manufacturers. Gary Tinker (Founder and Director of Metals Technology) used his wide-ranging experience and skill gained as a senior in-house metallurgist at British Steel, and through his first degree in metallurgy, to assist numerous firms with their testing requirements. The MTC team moved into a small studio on Harleston Street in the Attercliffe area of Sheffield in late 1983. Slowly, MTC was able to gain itself a reputation for thorough testing and a unique personalised service. During this period, a full range of Chemical Analysis and Metallurgical Testing capabilities were added to the schedule, and the staff’s expertise began to grow. “It was really tiny…we had space for a small office and a laboratory, but that was all”, Gary remembers. Due to the size of the new testing equipment and the need for larger office space, MTC moved to larger premises on Tinsley Park Road in 1989. At this time the decision was made to rename the company ‘Metals Technology Testing’ (MTT) and the company became limited. “We quite liked ‘MTC’ but it was in use by another firm. This gave us the chance to re-brand ourselves and we all liked the new name quite a lot”. This was the point where the company found its feet, as more and more businesses began to rely on MTT for quick and reliable testing.

This was an exciting time, not only for MTT but also for the whole of Sheffield. The Lower Don Valley was undergoing a massive redevelopment as many of the former steel mills and foundries had closed down. (As evinced by the popular film, The Full Monty). Adjacent to the Tinsley site, the Sheffield Arena (now Hallam FM Arena) was built along with the Don Valley Stadium to accommodate the World Student Games. The Valley Centertainment complex was built later and the whole area had been transformed in the space of a few years from disused factories to world-class sport and leisure facilities by the opening of the Games in 1991. Gary notes, “It was a very strange time for everyone in the industry, but there seemed to be a sort of rebirth going on. I guess you could say we were a part of that back then…” Today, Sheffield produces more steel per year than at any other time in its history. However, the industry is now less noticeable as it has become highly automated and employs far fewer staff than in the past.

In 1990, MTT passed its first NAMAS (now UKAS) assessment and began to negotiate long-term testing arrangements with some of the largest and most prestigious foundries in the UK. This success was nearly met with disaster, when in 1991, a fire at an adjacent recycling plant destroyed part of the MTT buildings, along with a considerable amount of paperwork. Unfazed by this setback, MTT were up and running again within a matter of weeks. By 1994, MTT moved to Senior Road in Darnall as the previous site had been insufficiently large to cope with the increasing volume of work and the acquisition of much new capital. At this point, the firm began to offer a full range of Mechanical Testing including impact, tensile and bend tests. “This was the point where we saw the volume of work literally treble in the space of three years”, Gary explains, “We finally broke into the mechanical testing market with excellent results for the firm”. By the year 2000, the site at Senior Road was stretched to the limit. “There was just no space! We had every corner and every piece of floor put to use…it was only a matter of time before we would have to find larger premises”, Gary comments.

Three years later, MTT moved again to Finchwell Close in the district of Handsworth where it is presently located. It was a much needed move, and the firm began to expand its capital even further, investing heavily in new modern machinery. The computer network was overhauled to include an electronic certification service  and automated results system. The district of Handsworth has a celebrated tradition of steel production and manufacture. Huntsman’s crucible steel process was invented in Handworth before its replacement by the Bessemer process in the 1850s. This discovery enabled Sheffield to dominate the world steel industry for the next century. “It’s great to be working in such an historic and famous place”, Gary remarks.

Today, MTT continues to go from strength to strength. Gary attributes this to a combination of hand-picked, fully-trained staff and a determination to provide the best service: “We select all our staff carefully using a two-stage selection process. They then go through a rigorous six-month skills training period which is allied closely to the UKAS schedule and quality system.” Metals Technology hopes to continue to provide a competitive service for its customers and to expand its remit still further in the future. “We have always tried to think two steps ahead and to listen to our customers and that is why we have been able to achieve so much”.