British Constructional Steelwork Association

The association arose from a series of mergers involving regional and sector specific associations.

Five steelwork contractors in Manchester began to collaborate in 1906, and then formally established the Steelwork Society in 1908. The Rules were only finalised in 1911. Steel producers had benefited from trade associations as a forum to collude on pricing, and steelwork contractors sought the same advantages.{{Cite web |date=June 2006 |title=A Century of Steel Construction , 1906-2006 |url=https://steelconstruction.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/files_BCSA_Centenary_Book.pdf |via=BCSA |publisher=Box of Tricks |isbn=0-85073-0503 |access-date=2022-06-05 |archive-date=2022-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504104924/https://steelconstruction.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/files_BCSA_Centenary_Book.pdf |url-status=live }}

Similar groups established themselves around the country, and joint meetings were held. In the early 1930s the British Steelwork Association operated from London as a national, federated association funded by, and representing, the local associations.

The British Constructional Steelwork Association was formed, in 1936, to succeed the British Steelwork Association. In return for recognition from the steel manufacturers in raw material negotiations, their fabrication subsidiaries were permitted to join the new association. Membership immediately jumped from 92 to 159.

In 1966 The British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd incorporated to take over all the activities of the British Constructional Steelwork Association, Bridge and Constructional Ironwork Association, London Constructional Engineers Association, Midland Structural Association, Scottish Structural Steel Association, Steelwork Society, Northern Ireland Steelwork Association, and Structural Export Association.

The name changed to BCSA Ltd in 1990{{Cite web |title=BCSA LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00895252 |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=Companies House |language=en |archive-date=2022-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220504100313/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00895252 |url-status=live }} though it commonly operates under the name of a subsidiary called the British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd, incorporated at that time.{{Cite web |title=THE BRITISH CONSTRUCTIONAL STEELWORK ASSOCIATION LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02457906 |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=Companies House |language=en |archive-date=2022-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506142122/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02457906 |url-status=live }}

Membership of the association was initially limited to structural steel contractors until in 1987, other companies that shared the association's objects began to be admitted as associates. The rules of the association were amended accordingly in 1994.

The British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd purchased a 99 year lease on its Whitehall Court headquarters in 1989 for £610,000. It previously operated from nearby premises at 35 Old Queen Street.

Collusion on pricing had been an important part of early trade associations in the iron and steel industries. Trade associations of structural steel contractors were no different, and even then this was controversial. The British Constructional Steelwork Association identify instances of members of their predecessor organisations, cautious about the legality of these schemes, hiding behind code names and numbers.

Association practice was to share tender lists for contracts, and where that consisted wholly of members, to add {{1/4}}% to the tender price of the chosen contractor, to be shared amongst the other members on the tender list. During the 1920s, economic pressures encouraged almost all structural steel contractors to join the associations. Tenders were routinely member only, significantly curtailing competition. Some contractors were alleged to have joined tender lists with no intention of bidding, merely to claim their share of the {{1/4}}%.

Government imposed prohibitive tariffs on imported fabricated steel in 1932. Real competition to the structural steel contractors came only from domestic steel manufacturers with their own, in house, fabrication capability, and emerging construction techniques with reinforced concrete. The 1936 arrangement to admit fabrication subsidiaries of steel manufacturers to the association drew them also into the cartel.{{Cite journal |last=Eichengreen |first=Barry J |date=September 1981 |title=Sterling and the Tariff, 1929-1932 |url=https://ies.princeton.edu/pdf/S48.pdf |journal=Princeton Studies in International Finance |issue=48 |access-date=2022-06-10 |archive-date=2020-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024205730/https://ies.princeton.edu/pdf/S48.pdf |url-status=live }}

During the Second World War the Ministry of Supply enforced control on maximum structural steel prices through an Iron and Steel Control department.

Post war, it was common for structural steel contractors to submit identical bids in response to tenders. Government became more concerned with anti-competitive behaviour, and the structural steel industry's highly developed, overt bid rigging received particular attention. The Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission launched an investigation and the industry was required to register its practices under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956. Registration provided for further scrutiny.

The Registrar promptly challenged restrictions on trade, and price fixing, imposed by the British Constructional Steelwork Association upon its members, under the new Restrictive Practices Court Act 1958. Judgement rejected arguments the measures offered useful protections and held them to be void. The association undertook thenceforth to engage only in co-operation between its members, rather than price fixing and collusion.{{Cite journal |date=1959 |title=Restrictive Practices Court Act |url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=65MRAQAAMAAJ&rdid=book-65MRAQAAMAAJ&rdot=1 |journal=British Affairs |volume=3 |issue=4 |pages=126 |access-date=2022-05-25 |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525133558/https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=65MRAQAAMAAJ&rdid=book-65MRAQAAMAAJ&rdot=1 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=1967 |title=Hansard, House of Lords, Vol 280, 28 February 1967, Iron And Steel Bill |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1967-02-28/debates/87166a48-b446-4c7c-bd58-512c4073f4d4/IronAndSteelBill |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=Hansard |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525133559/https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/1967-02-28/debates/87166a48-b446-4c7c-bd58-512c4073f4d4/IronAndSteelBill |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last1=Broadberry |first1=Stephen |last2=Crafts |first2=Nicholas F.R. |date=2000 |title=Competition and Innovation in 1950s Britain |url=http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/22381/1/wp57.pdf |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=Department of Economic History, London School of Economics |archive-date=2022-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525133559/http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/22381/1/wp57.pdf |url-status=live }}

In 1995, the association launched their Register of Qualified Steelwork Contractors with a stated aim to readily enable identification of appropriate steelwork contractors, and thereby ensure competition takes place.

In 1969 the association set up its Structural Steel Design Awards. Recent recipients include:{{Cite web |title=Structural steel design awards |url=https://steelconstruction.info/Structural_steel_design_awards |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=Steel Construction Info |language=en-GB |archive-date=2022-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216210631/https://www.steelconstruction.info/Structural_steel_design_awards |url-status=live }}

{{notelist|group=award}}

The association was granted a coat of arms in 1987. The shield is a helmet on a background of red lines representing a framework of girders, and the crest is a red lion symbolising the strength of steel, and also British nationality. The lion is dotted with gold bezants representing fair dealing in commerce; the yellow, blazing torch, held aloft by the lion, represents the association's enlightening message that structures should be of steel not concrete, and the crest, atop a red and gold torse, is set within a circle of steel ingots.{{Cite web |title=Heraldry Symbols and What They Mean |url=https://www.hallofnames.org.uk/heraldry-symbols-and-what-they-mean/ |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=Hall of Names |language=en-GB |archive-date=2022-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526112856/https://www.hallofnames.org.uk/heraldry-symbols-and-what-they-mean/ |url-status=live }}

The motto depicted on the arms is Strength and Stability, intended as reference to both the association and structural steel.

The crest is used in the association's logo.

Full members are contractors that pay a levy to the association based on their sales of relevant steelwork in the prior year.{{cite web|url=https://steelconstruction.org/memo/bcsa-membership-subscriptions-for-turnover-year-ended-30-september-2022-reminder/|access-date=2022-10-21|website=BCSA|title=BCSA Membership Subscriptions for Turnover Year Ended 30 September 2022 – Reminder|date=2022-10-13|first=David|last=Moore|archive-date=21 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021185524/https://steelconstruction.org/memo/bcsa-membership-subscriptions-for-turnover-year-ended-30-september-2022-reminder/|url-status=dead}}

Present full members include:

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• Severfield
• William Hare Group

}}

Past full members include:

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• Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
• Rowecord Engineering
• Dorman Long (Bridge and Engineering)
• William Baird & Co (Structural)
• Butterley Engineering Co
• Redpath Brown & Co}}

Associate members are suppliers to structural steel contractors, and others with an interest in the industry's operation.

Recent associate members include:

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• Metsec
• Rainham Steel
• ArcelorMittal
• Klöckner
• Skanska Cementation
• National Highways
• International Paint
• Sherwin-Williams
• Tekla
• Lincoln Electric
• Air Products
• British Steel
• Tata Steel
• Autodesk{{cite web|url=https://www.newsteelconstruction.com/wp/ssda-october-issue-of-new-steel-construction-out-now-6/|title=New Steel Construction|date=2022-10-01|website=BCSA|access-date=2022-10-21}}
• Kingspan

}}

• British Iron and Steel Federation

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.steelconstruction.org/ Official website]

{{Construction industry in the United Kingdom}}

Category:Organisations based in the City of Westminster

Category:Steel companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Construction trade groups based in the United Kingdom

Category:Structural steel

Category:Organizations established in 1936

Category:1936 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Metallurgical industry of the United Kingdom

Category:Price fixing convictions

Category:Private companies limited by guarantee of the United Kingdom

Category:Private companies limited by guarantee of England