Rob Sweetnam has been appointed managing director of the Hub le Bas distribution subsidiary of Liberty Steel.
Hub le Bas is a UK stockist and distributor of steel products for a range of industrial and commercial applications and has six branches across the UK. It was acquired by the Liberty House Group in December 2015 as part of its strategy to create an integrated end-to-end business ranging from liquid steel-making through to the production and marketing of steel products and advanced engineering components to OEM customers.
Sweetnam previously led what is now Liberty’s Precision Tube manufacturing unit in Oldbury, West Midlands, and prior to that held senior commercial and manufacturing management roles at TMD Friction, Bosal Africa, Bosal UK and Bosal International NV, where he was group commercial director, based in Belgium and responsible for all of Bosal's European aftermarket commercial functions. Bosal is a global player in exhaust and tubular products for the automotive and general industrial market.
“This is an exciting time for the business with many new opportunities for this restructured operation. There are many natural synergies between Liberty’s manufacturing capabilities and our well-established routes to market in the United Kingdom, and by combining the global footprint and purchasing power of the Liberty House Group with our close relationships with the customers, Hub le Bas has an unrivalled competitive advantage in the market place,” said Sweetnam.
Douglas Dawson, chief executive of Liberty Industries Group, said Sweetnam has a wealth of experience in the international tubing industry, which gives him a clear line of sight to the objectives and ambitions of Liberty Industries Group. “His time in our precision tube manufacturing unit will be invaluable in aligning the goals of our manufacturing plants with our distribution channels,” said Dawson.