Celebrating 25 years of Ficep UK

This year marks 25 years of Ficep UK supporting the steel processing industry. Starting with a small team of three in a modest office, Ficep UK has grown into a market leader, operating from a modern facility in Yorkshire and employing over 30 skilled professionals.

Much has changed since we were established, but the foundation of our success remains the same: strong customer relationships, ongoing innovation, and our dedicated team ethos.

From small acorns

Founded in 1999, we began with big ambitions, quickly expanding to meet demand from clients for our advanced steel processing solutions across the UK. Today, we are a much larger company and hold a significant share of the UK market, thanks to our consistent hard work, adaptability and our progressive business model.

Chris Berriman, Ficep UK sales director, says: “Our growth has been guided by a few key principles which we continue to live by - the main one being that we put our customers first, and understand that every project deserves the same level of customer care and attention. With a client base ranging from small businesses to large fabricators and stockholders, we understand the importance of consistency and trust. This commitment to customer care has led to long-standing partnerships built on a foundation of reliability and results.."

Developing expertise

Over the 25 years, we have been committed to attracting and developing a team with the expertise needed to offer tailored solutions to customers. Chris says: “Experience comes with time, but we’re committed to bringing new talent onboard and to ongoing development of our teams through extensive training and support. This focus on development has created a skilled team that delivers high-quality service and technical insight to customers at all levels.”

Technological progress

Being at the forefront of product development is an ongoing focus for us. Our product range, developed in Italy, constantly evolves to bring cutting-edge machinery and technology to the UK market.

Our range continues to move forward and to meet the changing needs of our customers. We actively encourage feedback from our customers, listening to what will help make their working lives better. This feedback influences our product development, whether that is to create faster production speeds or to provide more efficient systems, our clients’ feedback is extremely important to us.

Chris explains how we are already using advanced technology to add even greater value. He says: “Our technological advancements continue to transform how we support our customers,” he says. “For example, with AI we’re already capturing and monitoring machine data, including temperature, vibration, and alarms, to predict maintenance needs. This not only minimises downtime but allows us to proactively advise customers on what’s coming up, so they can plan accordingly."

Looking ahead

The steel processing industry is evolving, and we are ready to meet the needs of the changing sector. Chris says: “Our growth trajectory and forward order book is strong, and as our technology advances, so too do the benefits we can offer our customers. We’re excited to keep pushing boundaries and leading the way on product development. With a focus on innovation, customer relationships, and a team that brings it all together, we’re well-positioned for further growth and success in the future. Here’s to the next quarter of a century!”