Tata Steel shuts off Blast Furnace 4 as part of decarbonisation

This will impact the jobs of around 3,000 steel workers including 300 at Tata's Llanwern site.

Community Union General Secretary Roy Rickhuss CBE said today was a sad and frustrating day.

"Today marks an incredibly poignant day for the British steel industry and for the communities in and around Port Talbot which are so intricately connected to blast furnace steelmaking.

"It's also a moment of huge frustration - it simply didn't have to be this way.

"Last year Community and GMB published a credible alternative plan for Port Talbot which would have ensured a fair transition to green steelmaking and prevented compulsory redundancies.

"Tata's decision to reject that plan will go down as an historic missed opportunity.”

Blast Furnace 4 was constructed between 1956 and 1959 and has been in operation since 1992.

Mr Rickuss continued: "The closure of the furnace marks the end of an era, but this is not the end for Port Talbot. We will never stop fighting for our steel industry and our communities in South Wales."

As Tata’s decarbonisation programme continues the future for its Llanwern site remains unclear.

The zinc-coated steel made in Llanwern is used to make car body parts and building components that supply leading manufacturers across the UK.

Only last month, the Llanwern site set a new output record of 14,077 tonnes in a week, beating the previous record by 242 tonnes, following the implementation of a new technology system on its ZODIAC galvanising line.

Works Manager at Llanwern, Craig Phillips believes Llanwern can still be part of Tata's 'green evolution in South Wales. 

“As Tata Steel UK looks towards its decarbonisation objectives, change and improvement is high on the agenda, and as a team in Llanwern we’re increasingly confident that we can be at the forefront of green steel production for our key markets, including the automotive sector, continuing to serve customers such as JLR and Nissan.”

Nick Collins, manufacturing manager at Llanwern added: “Like our Welsh Olympians, our achievements are the result of consistently challenging ourselves to improve and trialling the latest technologies to give ourselves an edge.”

The 'pickle line' at Llanwern (Image: Tata)

Tata has offered workers facing the prospect of unemployment the opportunity to learn new skills to help find other sources of work.

A scheme in partnership with the Welsh Government has seen a skills support centre created in order to assist with this transitionary period.

Mr Rickhuss emphasised that now Blast Furnace 4 is gone, the 'Skills and Retention Scheme' negotiated with Tata is going to be vital. 

“We will support those workers in every way we can, including through the employment and skills Support Centre we have opened in the heart of Port Talbot, in partnership with the Welsh Government.

"The Scheme gives workers up to an additional year of employment to gain new skills to find new employment, and importantly participants will be prioritised where there are vacancies in the company.”