SCI’s first year saw six courses organised and 37 members recruited. The very first SCI member was Tony Gee and Partners, who joined on 6th April 1986 and remain SCI Corporate Members today. By 1990, SCI was up to 263 members and the SCI’s reputation for producing practical, quality information of value to the constructional steelwork sector was quickly established. Membership remains a key part of SCI today and we are proud to have over 300 corporate members and growing!
Tony Gee remembers, ‘Back in the day, forty years ago, the steel community decided that a technical group would help to compete with the Cement and Concrete Association and that it should be separate from the trade organisation, BCSA – British Constructional Steelwork Association. The Steel Construction Institute (SCI) was formed and Tony Gee was happy to step forward to become its first member.
Very quickly though, other notable organisations saw the benefits of an association like this and followed suit. Former Tony Gee Partner, Steve Harridge commented, ”it was a tight-knit community. Whilst there were some fierce rivalries, we knew each other inside out and there was a lot of knowledge sharing and transfer of staff between the member organisations.”
Forty years on, the landscape in 2025 is very different. Tony Gee is celebrating its 50th anniversary and we, like the SCI, have gone from strength to strength. Working with many materials, including steel products, the company has built an unrivalled reputation for complex engineering solutions and value engineering and worked on many instantly recognisable projects around the world even being labelled as “technical maestros” for one of the many awards that it has received over the years.
The company now has over 600 staff across the UK and international offices offering consultancy services to a broadening and more diverse range of clients. We still retain our ‘can-do’ approach and our focus on delivering on our commitments which has always been the bedrock of Tony Gee.
We place a high value on the expertise and guidance provided by the SCI; their research, technical publications and design tools continue to be a fantastic supporting resource for our structural design work, ensuring safety, efficiency and compliance with industry standards.
Our staff continue to engage with the SCI and contribute to the industry learning and knowledge sharing. In 2026 one of our Associates, Mathew Howells will become Chair of the Steel Piling Group, one of the many specialist Groups that the SCI support.
We are delighted to continue to provide our support and wish the Institute a happy anniversary.’
A HUGE thank you to Tony Gee and Partners, for being our very first member and for their continued partnership with us.
If you would like to discuss the value of SCI Membership, contact membership@steel-sci.com or call 01344 636 525.