2024-10-01 18:52:28
The Indian steel company Tata Steel, the largest steel producer in the UK, will suspend operation of the last blast furnace at its plant in Wales from Monday, ending more than a century of production, Sky News TV channel reports, Day.Az reports with reference to Reedus.
“The UK’s largest steelworks will shut down its operations today, causing the loss of thousands of jobs in South Wales,” the broadcaster said.
The plant, located in Port Talbot, was an important center for the iron and steel industry. The company took the decision to shut down its blast furnaces as part of efforts to reduce carbon emissions and move towards cleaner production methods. The last blast furnace will stop operating on Monday at 17:00 local time (19:00 Moscow time), when the last batch of steel will be produced.
Manufacturing operations at Port Talbot will be suspended for several years while Tata Steel switches to more environmentally friendly electric arc furnaces. The new equipment is planned to be put into operation by 2028. However, the plant will not cease its activities completely – rolling of steel slabs imported from abroad will continue.
The green manufacturing project will cost Tata Steel £1.25 billion, of which £500 million will be provided by the UK government. As a result of the reduction in production, about three thousand people will remain unemployed.