MAY 20/2026; Earlier this year we had a news item entitled "Be Very Glad you are Not a Heat Treater in the UK!"

The story was about a UK based commercial heat treater by the name of "MTE Heat Treatment" which had been forced to close their doors after 70 years in business. As it turns out the story had a good ending in that a buyer has stepped in and purchased both plant and equipment with a plan to keep the company operating;

"Time To ACT plc has acquired the business and assets of MTE Heat Treatment Limited for £500,000, comprising £390,000 for plant and equipment and £110,000 for the trade and business, funded partly by £286,000 in equipment finance. MTE, which recorded £2.834m in turnover for the year ended 31 December 2025, is expected to achieve £3.0m in sales and positive EBITDA in its first full annualized trading period under Time To ACT's ownership. This acquisition is complementary to the Group's existing Diffusion Alloys business, expanding its thermal engineering capabilities and manufacturing footprint."

FEBRUARY 27^th 2026; Be Very Glad you are Not a Heat Treater in the UK! The insane energy policy in the UK has been having an effect on industry and certainly commercial heat treaters are also feeling the pain-this press release mentions yet another one closing their doors. From what we can tell this was a fairly "high end" shop offering press quenching, carburizing and induction hardening.

"British metal company collapses into administration after 70 years

The latest available records show that the company employed 38 people in 2024 MTE Heat Treatment has collapsed into administration after 70 years in business.

The company, based in West Yorkshire, specializes in treating industrial metals to improve strength and durability.

Administrators were appointed on February 24, the London Gazette reports.

The latest available records show that the company employed 38 people in 2024, though more recent figures are not yet available.

Lee Van Lockwood and Gareth Harris, both of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP, have been appointed as joint administrators."