Growth in the minor metals market has been very significant over the last decade as Anthony Lipmann, Managing Director of Lipmann Walton and former Chairman of the Minor Metals Trade Association, explains: “To give an example, rhenium is one of the minor metals we first started trading in when I re-started the business in 1993, sourcing from countries such as Kazakhstan and Armenia. A by-product of copper mining, rhenium, although valued, was often allowed to go to waste. In 1996 a kilo of this metal was worth $300. Nowadays, it’s worth around $11,000. Our business has grown steadily and if it hadn’t been for the support we received from RBS in the early days, we would not be where we are today. Barry’s belief in us as people and as a business and his work in really understanding our business has made the difference and I continue to be impressed with the level of pro-active support we receive from the Bank.”

That is why the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has recently increased the import loan facility to longstanding customer and minor metals company, Lipmann Walton, to support the company’s continued growth strategy. The company sources special metals from Eastern Europe and Russia for supply to the super and master alloy makers mainly in the aerospace and catalyst markets. Revitalised 15 years ago by Anthony Lipmann when he took over the family business, Lipmann Walton is based in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England, and has customers around the world in various industry sectors.

Barry Burroughs, Regional International Manager, Commercial Banking at RBS has been Lipmann Walton’s Relationship Manager for several years and recently involved Paul Marsh from the bank’s Global Transaction Services division to structure the increased import loan that will finance longer term contracts and assist with the company’s growth plans, by allowing them to be more competitive in tendering processes.