Sheffield Independent – Thursday 25 March 1937

Increased Output

Brighter Outlook for John Baker and Bessemer Ltd

The annual meeting Messrs. John Baker and Bessemer. Ltd., was held at their Kilnhurst steel works, yesterday. The chairman. Mr. John Baker, said their prospects were good; they had a very good order bock; with work to last several months. In February they booked orders that were three times greater in value than the monthly average last year, and to ensure their getting larger output they were putting down another Siemens furnace. The Indian Government were coming the market with good order and they hoped to get their share. With regard to the export trade things were still quiet, but he hoped, if they could only get better prospects of world peace, that their foreign trade would Improve.

Mr. George Baker said they melted more steel than in 1936 and the ingot output was almost double the average of the previous five years Notwithstanding that they were very short of steel owing to the drying up of outside sources of supply. The output of forgings from Kilnhurst was less less than In 1936 but the prices obtained were decidedly better. They had pairs of wheels and axles order, figure much above anything previously on record.

Altogether the outlook was better than it had been for some years.

The arrears of Preference dividends were out the way. And a larger proportion of profit would available for Ordinary dividends. Mr. Manley Baker and Mr. Arthur Baker were re-elected directors.