The former CEO of Coogee Chemicals Pty Ltd Phil Thick has been appointed managing director and chief executive of diversified resources company MHM Metals.

MHM Metals will shift its business focus towards the United States over the next 12 months with a planned construction of a major processing facility in Kentucky, and a US based managing director is expected to be appointed next year.

In the last four years West Australian based Coogee Chemicals has enjoyed rapid growth under Mr Thick’s leadership, and he is excited about the challenges that await him at MHM Metals, his new employer said in a statement on Wednesday.

“MHM is in a very exciting place, with the Geelong plant now operating well and agreement reached with Alcoa on landfill processing, four US supply contracts and the aluminium oxide AL80 being successfully exported to Asia,” Mr Thick said.

Meanwhile current MHM Metals managing director Frank Rogers will assume the position of technological director.