Thetford-based Pegasus Profiles has secured industry recognition from Swedish Steel (SSAB), which will give it a unique position in the global market place.

The company, based in Stephenson Way, has been awarded Hardox wear partner status by SSAB following six months of collaboration.

The accreditation brings Pegasus within a worldwide network of companies who profile cut Hardox wear plate for a range of engineering companies and manufacturers, including agricultural and construction equipment manufacturers, the offshore industry and waste and recycling equipment makers.

Pegasus has been a customer of SSAB for decades and has supplied its wear-resistant steels and high- strength steels to manufacturers and engineering companies throughout East Anglia.

It is one of only a few companies in the UK and Ireland to secure the wear partner status.

Last year the company, which employs around 35 people, had a turnover of nearly �4m and invested around �300,000 in new machinery.

Roy Denyer, director, said the Hardox Wear partner status gives Pegasus the backing and technical support of a major European steel manufacturer and would help the company supply wear parts such as plate liners, blades, shredders and hammers together with rolled screens and excavator bucket liners.

“Last summer, we invested more than �0.3m in our third plasma cutting system and our second waterjet system,” he said.

“Our investment enables us to process the wear steels a lot better than we have been able to do. It’s an incredibly difficult material to deal with, but we have the capability to process that.

“This has given us the recognition by a major world steel manufacturer to be able to supply their product.”