Swiss energy trader Mercuria has added a hard commodities team to its Beijing office to build on its existing iron ore trading activities.

The new team will bring together the company’s trading and risk management activities across thermal coal, coking coal and coke, iron ore and steel. The team will mainly concentrate on trading flows into China and will work alongside Mercuria’s activities in the Asian region, the company says in a statement.

Marcus Lyu will join the team from Noble Rresources as head of hard commodities trading for Asia.

In addition, Wei Jin has been appointed as deputy head of the new team and will also continue in his role as the company’s thermal coal trader.

Meanwhile, Tom (Zongchao) Qi joins Mercuria from MRI Trading as head of iron ore trading.

Jin Han, president of Mercuria Asia says: “Our intention is to continue to grow our footprint in hard commodities across Asia with emphasis on the China market. This new approach to our business is designed to have the greatest benefit in terms of service for our customers, by bringing together a number of related trading and investment activities.”