Double win for British steel

BRITAIN’S steel industry was given a double-barrelled boost yesterday as two major announcements set fires roaring in the UK’S industrial heartlands.

The first saw the re-lighting of the blast furnace in Teesside, as steel production resumed at the Redcar site after shuddering to a halt in 2010.

The second was a plan by Tata Steel to pump £800m into the steel industry in Wales ( including Porttalbot, pictured) over the next five years.

In Teesside, the former Corus plant has not produced any steel since it was mothballed by Tata Steel and sold to Thai-based SSI.

SSI has spent millions making the furnace ready for production again, and its reignition has sparked hope among the 1,600 workers who were laid off two years ago – many of whom have been taken back on. Although much of the steel will go to Thailand, in time it is thought some of it will remain in the UK and be used to construct wind turbines.

The second case saw Tata Steel pledge to pour £800m into the Welsh steel industry over the next five years.

Although the international giant has not provided any details on the money, and has refused to confirm the figure, the funding was promised to Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones on a recent trade mission to Mumbai, India.

Part of the money will go to Port Talbot where Tata has already announced £240m of investments including rebuilding one of its blast furnaces.

The group employs some 7,500 people in Wales, and Tata said the spending was ‘an expression of intention and vision for Port Talbot and the steel industry in Wales’.