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Tata Steel closed its last blast furnace at Port Talbot in Wales at the end of September after more than 100 years of steelmaking. It’s estimated that 2,800 jobs will be lost as a result.
The blast furnace is used to make what is called primary or virgin steelmaking because the molten iron is produced from its original source by splitting rocks containing iron ore. It requires intense heat and emits high levels of carbon into the atmosphere.
Port Talbot originally had two blast furnaces, but the first was taken out of service in July. Now that this second one has been closed, primary steelmaking in Wales has drawn to a close.
Tata Steel has said that it was losing £1m a day from its blast furnace operations, and it will instead invest £1.25bn in an electric arc furnace that will make steel from scrap but also reduce carbon emissions. The project also fits with government net zero objectives and will receive £500m of government support.
Construction on the new furnace is expected to start in August 2025 and in the meantime, steel slab will be imported for milling in Port Talbot.
Another company, British Steel, is still currently making virgin steel at two blast furnaces it runs in Scunthorpe. However, it is also in talks with the government about shifting to cleaner manufacturing.
By switching to electric steelmaking, the government expects to reduce Britain’s carbon emissions by 1.5%.
Naturally the closure has caused concern to many, both employees and the small businesses who rely on trade coming from the plant itself or the workers who work there.
