What Firth Steels does

Firth Steels is a family-owned UK manufacturer of profiled steel products, headquartered in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. The company operates roll-forming production lines converting flat steel coil into engineered profiles for roof, wall, floor deck, and trench sheet applications, with a flagship Protex® built-up wall and roof system backed by a 25-year guarantee. The portfolio spans Protex roof, wall, and firewall variants, Protex Voyage (marine/voyage variant), a full roofing and cladding range (N1000 series, N14/3 Sinus, LUNA), SR+ roof deck profiles, structural floor deck systems (R51+, TR60+, TR80+), interlocking and lapped trench sheets, guttering (Gutterex®), flat roof solutions (Flatplanet), and a coating portfolio (Mission XP40, Mission XP40R, F200 Plastisol, Granite HDX, and SSAB-licensed GreenCoat Pural BT/BT Zero). Production is supported by an in-house Management Information System (MIS) managing project scheduling, call-off, production, and delivery. The company manufactures from a single modern facility with laser-levelled floors, internal crane support, and solar-powered operations, achieving 99% recycled steel content and Planet Mark certification, with products CE-marked to BS EN 1090-1, BS EN 14782, BS EN 10249-1/-2, and supported by Environmental Product Declarations.

The business operates a project-based direct sales motion targeting architects, contractors, and developers. Pricing is quotation-based, ex-works with delivery and packaging as separate charges, with payment on net-end-of-month-following-invoice terms. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales of manufactured-to-specification profiles delivered to construction sites, with technical support provided from design through project completion. Strategic installation alliances enable the company to focus on roll-forming and profile manufacture while ensuring installation quality. Customers are predominantly enterprise construction and industrial players; named projects include Amazon (Hull 128,000 m² and Leeds 13,000 m² robotic fulfillment centers), The Shard London (69,000 m² floor deck), Heathrow Terminal 5 (325,000 m² floor deck), Dubai Airport Terminal 3, Siemens (train manufacturing 20,000 m² and 14,000 m²), SeAH Wind (1.13 million sq ft monopile facility), Segro, Warner Bros Studios, and the London Olympic Stadium. Distribution covers the UK and 14 export countries via the Yorkshire base's proximity to major ports.

The company is structured as Firth Steels Limited, a private limited company in England, with no disclosed external funding, parent, or subsidiaries. James Firth serves as Managing Director, and the operation remains family-owned and bootstrapped. Scale metrics indicate 24,000 tonnes and approximately 3.76 million m² of profiles rolled in the current year across 685 completed projects, positioning Firth Steels as a mid-sized specialist in UK profiled steel manufacturing rather than a commodity supplier, with differentiation concentrated in the Protex platform, breadth of profile range, sustainability credentials, and the Protex Approved Scheme (approved suppliers, fabricators, and contractors operating under formal codes of practice).

Name

Firth Steels

Legal name

Firth Steels Limited

Website

https://firth-steels.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Firth Steels is a UK family-owned manufacturer of profiled steel products, using roll-forming technology to produce roof, wall, floor deck, and trench sheet systems (including the flagship Protex® system) for architects, contractors, and developers in the UK and 14 export markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Profiled Steel Manufacturing

NAICS

Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel (3312), Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing (332322), Prefabricated Metal Building and Component Manufacturing (332311)

SIC

Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440), Sheet Metal Work (3444), Prefabricated Metal Buildings & Components (3448)

akta.pro primary industry

Cold-Formed Steel Framing & Studs (IMADACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Steel Joists, Joist Girders & Decking (IMADACAC), Bridge & Infrastructure Steel Components (IMADACAL)

Keywords

• Profiled steel products
• Steel roof systems
• Floor deck systems
• Trench sheet solutions
• Building envelope systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighouse

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Steel Profile Manufacturing & Sales: One-time product sales of profiled steel including roof systems, wall systems, floor deck, and trench sheet. Products are manufactured to specification and delivered to construction projects. Revenue is generated through ex-works pricing plus delivery charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Firth Steels manufactures and supplies profiled steel products for construction and ground-support applications, including the proprietary Protex® built-up wall and roof system (with 25-year guarantee), roofing and cladding profiles, structural roof and floor deck systems, and interlocking and lapped trench sheets. Products are produced to project specification at the Brighouse facility and sold directly to construction companies, architects, contractors, and developers, with technical support from design through delivery.

Product overview

Firth Steels is a Yorkshire, UK-based steel profile manufacturer operating as a single unified business rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Their product portfolio centers on the Protex® System family—comprising flexible built-up roof and wall systems (PRX-RS, PRX-WS, and PRX-FWS variants)—supplemented by a comprehensive range of profiled steel products including roofing and cladding profiles (N1000 series, N14/3 Sinus, LUNA), SR+ roof deck profiles, and structural floor deck systems (R51+, TR60+, TR80+). The company also offers trench sheet solutions (interlocking and lapped variants), multiple coating options (Mission XP40®, F200® Plastisol, Granite® HDX, GreenCoat Pural BT/Zero), guttering (Gutterex®), and flat roof solutions (Flatplanet). All products are manufactured at their Brighouse, West Yorkshire facility with in-house project management and scheduling systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Protex®: The world's most flexible built-up wall and roof system with a 25-year guarantee, designed as a complete building envelope solution.
• Protex® Voyage
• Gutterex®
• Flatplanet

Products and services

• Protex® System A flexible built-up wall and roof system marketed as the world's most flexible built-up system, featuring a 25-year guarantee. Enables customization of building envelopes for project-specific design and performance across commercial and industrial buildings.
• Protex® Roof Systems (PRX-RS-01, PRX-RS-02, PRX-RS-03, PRX-RS-04) Four variants of insulated roof systems within the Protex® family, offering different thermal and structural performance configurations for commercial and industrial buildings.
• Protex® Wall Systems (PRX-WS-01, PRX-WS-02, PRX-WS-03, PRX-WS-04) Four variants of insulated wall systems within the Protex® family, designed for exterior wall applications with options for different fire, thermal, and acoustic performance ratings.
• Protex® Fire Wall Systems (PRX-FWS-01, PRX-FWS-02, PRX-FWS-03, PRX-FWS-04) Firewall variants of the Protex® system specifically designed to meet fire safety requirements in building construction.
• Protex® Voyage A variant of the Protex® system offering flexibility for marine and voyage applications, with Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) available.
• Roof & Wall Profiles (N1000R/RR, N1000C/CR, N14/3 Sinus, N1000L+, N1000WL, LUNA) Range of steel roofing and cladding profiles in various geometries and gauges, designed for different building envelope applications.
• SR+ Roof Deck Range (SR30+, SR35+, SR60+, SR100+) Structural roof deck profiles providing strength and efficiency for building construction, with varying depths and load capacities.
• Floor Deck Systems (R51+, TR60+, TR80+) Engineered steel floor deck systems providing structural composite slab functionality. R51+ is a re-entrant profile for multi-storey projects; TR60+ and TR80+ are trapezoidal profiles with enhanced span capacities.
• Interlocking Trench Sheet (L8 Profile, FLP 600/3.5, FLP 600/6) Interlocking trench sheet profiles for ground support in trenches and excavations, available in various depths and gauges.
• Lapped Trench Sheet (Standard, FKD 400/6, KKD 600/6, KKD 600/8, KKD 750/8) Lapped trench sheet profiles for ground support applications, with varying profile depths and pitch configurations.
• Mission XP40® Coating A high-performance coating finish applied to steel profiles, designed for durability and long-term weather resistance.
• Mission XP40R® Coating A variant of the Mission XP40 coating system with enhanced reflective properties.
• F200® Plastisol Coating A plastisol coating finish available in multiple colours, providing protection and aesthetic options for steel profiles.
• Granite® HDX Coating A high-definition coating system with enhanced durability and colour retention properties.
• GreenCoat Pural BT Coating A sustainable coating option using Nordic quality steel with Bio-based Technology (BT), reducing environmental impact.
• GreenCoat Pural BT Zero Coating The next generation of recycled steel coating using fossil-free electricity, achieving over 65% reduction in embodied carbon compared to industry standard.
• Gutterex® A guttering system product for building envelope water management applications.
• Flatplanet A flat roof solution product line within the Firth Steels portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,756,410 m² of profiles manufactured this year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SSABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSSAB is a key strategic partner supplying fossil-free steel (Pural BT Zero) and advanced coatings (Hiarc Max, GreenCoat Pural BT). The partnership enables Firth Steels to offer low-carbon building solutions with over 65% reduction in embodied carbon compared to industry standard, supporting sustainability certifications like BREEAM and Net Zero Carbon.
• Strategic Installation PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFirth Steels works with strategic alliances with leading UK companies for product installation services. These partnerships enable the company to focus on core competencies of steel profile design and manufacture while ensuring quality installation through established relationships.
• Protex Approved SupplierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Protex Approved Scheme integrates industry leading suppliers into the Protex family. Approved suppliers sign up to the Protex Suppliers code of practice and provide cutting edge components, competitive pricing, individual product warranties, full technical support, and excellent customer service.
• Protex Approved ContractorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved contractors sign up to the Protex Contractors code of practice, receive Protex training for office and site teams, and undergo comprehensive site audits on all Protex projects. These partnerships ensure quality installation and project success.
• Protex Approved FabricatorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved fabricators sign up to the Protex Fabricator code of practice with raw materials sourced through Firth Steels. They ensure quality and performance match, colour consistency, and competitive edge with regular facility and finished goods inspections.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hadley Group: UK-based manufacturer of cold-formed steel profiles, sections, and structural products serving construction and industrial markets. Directly comparable to Firth Steels in roll-formed steel profiles, building envelope products, and UK customer base.
• Joris Ide: European manufacturer of insulated metal panels, steel cladding, roofing profiles, and structural deck products. Competes with Firth Steels in building envelope and profiled steel systems across the UK and continental Europe.
• ASC Profiles (BlueScope): Manufacturer of roll-formed steel building products including roof, wall, floor deck, and structural profiles. Directly comparable to Firth Steels in profiled steel construction products and building envelope systems.
• Metek UK: UK manufacturer of light gauge steel framing systems and structural products for the construction industry. Comparable to Firth in cold-formed steel framing, floor and roof systems, and UK construction market.
• Lindab: European building envelope manufacturer producing steel roofing, cladding, rainwater systems, and structural components. Directly comparable to Firth Steels in profiled steel roofing, wall, and building envelope products.

Broad incumbents

• Kingspan Group: Global leader in insulated panels, building envelope systems, and roofing/wall cladding products. A much larger incumbent competing with Firth in commercial roofing, wall, and insulated building envelope applications, including low-carbon offerings.
• Tata Steel UK: Major UK steel producer with downstream construction products including structural sections, floor deck, and roofing profiles. Overlaps with Firth Steels on steel floor deck and structural products for UK construction.
• Voestalpine Steel & Service Centre: European steel producer and processor with construction-focused steel products including profiled sheets and structural sections. Competes broadly with Firth in cold-formed and roll-formed steel for construction.
• ArcelorMittal Construction: European arm of global steel major producing steel roofing, cladding, deck profiles, and prefabricated building solutions. Competes broadly with Firth Steels in profiled steel construction products at significantly larger scale.

Others

• SSAB: Nordic steel company and Firth's key strategic partner for fossil-free and coated steel (GreenCoat Pural BT). Upstream supplier rather than direct competitor, but a key peer for benchmarking low-carbon steel strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/firthsteels
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firth-steels
• Pinterestpinterest.com/firthsteels

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Firth Steels