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A new business drawing on more than 30 years of experience in the steel industry has secured £7,500 to help get it off the ground.

Consultancy firm Elemy Ltd has been founded by Richard Brine and his partner Claire Murphy, to connect manufacturers in the steel industry with customers across different markets.

To finance the early days of its work, Teesside-based Elemy has secured a £7,500 grant from º£½ÇÊÓƵ Steel Enterprise’s Regeneration Fund, which supports fledgling businesses in the sector.

The duo will specialise finding customers for suppliers of glass reinforced polymer (GRP) composites and other niche carbon steel products. The company has already secured a number of agreements with manufacturers and contractors around the world.

Mr Brine said: “We are very pleased with the high level of initial interest. It includes opportunities in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, Europe, USA, Middle East and further afield with more than 50% of our work to date from outside the º£½ÇÊÓƵ. The strong mix of clients bodes well for the future as we establish ourselves in what is still a young niche market.”

Mr Brine has worked in the steel industry for more than 30 years and worked as European sales manager for British Steel and as a business development managed for Lionweld Kennedy.

Mr Brine added: “We could have planned for a comfortable early retirement but we really wanted to use our combined experience to start a business and are in it for the long haul. We are very grateful for º£½ÇÊÓƵSE’s support at this early stage, which is a critical time, and it is good to know they too have confidence in Elemy.

“There will be further numerous options open to us but we are consolidating in GRP composites, non-ferrous, civil and drainage engineering products initially.”