A consortium of investors, two of whom have extensive experience in the Steel Industry, has bought Atlas Specialty Metals (ASM). Mr Peter Smaller of Southern Steel and a past director of Atlas will now chair the board and Mr Steven Annear formally of Smorgon Steel will assume the role of MD. Atlas will retain its name and brand identity but will now operate as a private company. The purchase of Atlas was based on the following fundamentals: the strength of Atlas’s people; the strength of the Atlas brand; and its market position and ongoing opportunities for the company.