INTOCO - 50 years old…and stronger than ever!

July 14^th 2022 marked Intoco Special Steels & Alloys fiftieth birthday! Over the last five decades the business has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of Europe’s largest independent stockholders of speciality stainless steels, nickel alloys and hot-work tool steels.

Here is a little insight as to how Intoco stands today as one of Europe’s largest independent stockholders of stainless steel, nickel alloy and hot work tool steels.

How Intoco Began

In July 1972, Tony Preece formed the business INTOCO (Independent Tool Consultants Ltd.), originally supplying extrusion press parts and hot-work tool steel components to the aluminium extrusion industry. Over the following years the business evolved several times and with continued investment now serves a variety of markets that demand high integrity products on a fast turnaround basis.

Substantial investment has continually been made to secure Intoco with the highest reputation and standards.  It includes a five-axis simultaneous machining centre and 3D solid modelling, a commitment to its quality control. The CNC machine tools have touch probe technology for the most accurate and reliable service to boast right-first-time accuracy and best in class.

Distribution Centre for Special Steels

In 2001, it was decided that the business could grow further, so structured plans and investment were laid down to have a distribution centre for Special Steels. This started initially with the material grade 440C, then 904L & F44…quickly moving into the Duplex (F51) and Super Duplex (F55 & F53) grades. Over the last two decades, the business added a further 22 grades, including Nickel Alloys such as 718, 625, K500, 400, C276, thus complimenting the full range of grades offered to industries such as oil and gas, energy, chemical & petrochemical, and fastener markets.

Interesting Fact – Intoco don’t just stock round bar – they are also an established plate supplier in the 17/4 grade market and are currently planning to become a full plate service centre in all stocked grades in the near future.

One of the many factors that sets Intoco apart from its competition is that when a decision is made to stock a product, then it’s done with a full complement of sizes (from small to large i.e. the full range). There is a thorough understanding of the product with technical purchasing specifications written and kept up-to-date, following all world specifications, revisions and testing standards. This ensures their customers have a seamless and informative platform on which to transact business. Inteco’s quality management system (ISO9001-2015) provides customers with the assurance that products are of the highest integrity, with no supply issues.

Today’s Intoco

In 2020, having served 35 years with Intoco, Les Preece was appointed Managing Director of both the Special Steels & Alloys and Manufacturing divisions, located near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The business employs over forty-five people with a satellite division now open and fully operational in Dundee, Scotland.

The business currently holds around £18M in special steels stock (and increasing) to ensure that they are positioned well to supply their customers UK & worldwide in a timely manner. Stock availability of raw material is in very short supply currently within all industries, but Intoco had the foresight to continue to purchase steels, and increase grades and ranges, when perhaps the market was too volatile for others to commit. By taking these calculated decisions they are now ideally placed to support their customers long into the future.

What’s next for Intoco?

Intoco will continue to invest in our people and processes, working with our integrated supply chain to ultimately be the chosen solution provider to our customers in the UK, Europe and worldwide.

Having recently become a member of the BVAA, we will be joining the Group BVAA Stand (Hall 1, Stand E53) at Valve World Expo on the 29-1^st December at Dusseldorf and we look forward to meeting with other members and partners of the BVAA. 

Published: 26th July 2022