273:
1226:
179:
57:
344:, UK steel exports to the EU dropped significantly and high-profile industry figures spoke out about the impact the TCA, which imposed some tariffs and quotas on UK steel exports, was having on UK steel. British Steel had also made a submission to the UK Parliament highlighting the importance of the EU market, which according to their figures accounted for 70% of UK steel exports, urging them to revise the TCA. Tata themselves also acknowledged that Brexit had increased their operating costs, estimating that it had added around 15% to the cost of transport and processing.
1139:
324:. This was in a bid to cut emissions resulting from the carbon-intensity of the current blast furnaces. Trade unions worried that the increased autonomy of the electric arc furnace would lead to job losses. Unions presented the firm with a plan to keep one of the two blast furnaces open until 2032 in order to minimise job losses. The firm rejected the plan, announcing in January 2024 that they would close both blast furnaces, putting 3,000 jobs at risk.
340:, Port Talbot's MP, had also warned prior to the referendum that the UK choosing to leave the EU would be "a disaster" for the UK's steel industry. The negative impact from Brexit as a result of uncertainty and lower EU customer orders was cited as one of the reasons behind the liquidation of British Steel, previously owned by Tata, prior to the UK even leaving the EU. Following the UK's departure from the EU and the implementation of the
120:
312:
the bidding process due to the UK voting in favour of withdrawing from the EU" . However, in spite of the Brexit result and warnings from industry and elsewhere that leaving the EU could have a disruptive effect on UK steel, following the vote Tata recommitted to the plant. The UK Government said it "remains committed to supporting a sustainable, long-term future for steel making in the UK".
358:
An explosion at the Port Talbot plant in
November 2001 killed three men. Len Radford, 53, Stephen Galsworthy, 25, and Andrew Hutin, 20, died when blast furnace five erupted, sending molten liquid down on them. Twelve other men were seriously injured in the blast. The blast heavily damaged No.5, which
362:
In July 2012 Tata Steel were fined £500,000 over the 2006 death of worker Kevin Downey at the Port Talbot plant. Engulfed in steam during a night shift, Downey wandered into a channel of molten slag heated to 1500 °C (2700°F). He was rescued by colleagues, but suffered 85% burns and died later
335:
pointed to the UK's decision to leave the EU as a factor, stating that the uncertainty caused by Brexit resulted in reluctance to invest in the plant and had made it less competitive and less viable as a business, highlighting that Tata was retaining blast furnace operations in the
Netherlands and
311:
Tata Steel announced on 30 March 2016 it may pull out of its UK operations, including Port Talbot. It provided as reasons "imports of
Chinese steel, high energy costs and weak demand ". "Plans to save the steelworks were put on hold when potential buyers indicated their intention to withdraw from
330:
There has been controversy among some commentators around the causes behind Tata choosing to close the blast furnaces in 2024 as opposed to accepting the proposal from unions to keep them open as the plant transitioned to more environmentally friendly methods of production. Many commentators have
580:
228:
Once the new No.4 and 5 furnaces began production, the older furnaces, numbers 1 and 2 built in the 1920s, were demolished. No.3 furnace, built in 1941, was retained and used as a stand-by, until demolished in the mid-2000s. At the time of peak
200:
that used to be on the site – a small amount of the original building still stands (protected) within the site that survived the dissolution of the monasteries. Several steel manufacturers in South Wales pooled their resources to form the
576:
264:
agreed to purchase all Corus' ordinary shares in March 2007, and the deal was concluded in April 2007. In 2010 it was announced that Corus was to be rebranded to the group name of Tata Steel Europe.
347:
Tata Steel also received criticism for stating environmental reasons were behind their decision to close the blast furnaces at Port Talbot due to their construction of new blast furnaces in India.
412:
1127:
355:
There have been many fatalities caused by industrial accidents at the plant since its opening, the number having been reduced over the years by improved safety measures.
91:
The majority of the slab is rolled on-site at Port Talbot and at the
Newport Llanwern site to make a variety of steel strip products. The remainder is processed at other
550:
1105:
523:
1009:
336:
choosing to close them in the UK. Figures from the steel industry had for some time been warning that leaving the EU would have a negative impact on UK steel, and
448:
833:
1090:
1359:
1095:
423:
977:
747:
1320:
1369:
1120:
905:
867:
619:
577:"Margam Steel Works (Abbey Works) for the Steel Company of Wales Limited, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan: The number 5 blast furnace | RIBA"
948:
781:
1113:
327:
With Tata being the largest private employer in Port Talbot, concerns have been raised regarding the future economic health of the town.
272:
1135:
1374:
341:
155:
554:
602:
527:
452:
136:
303:
to
Shotton for coating, Trostre for tinplating, or direct to the Midlands for the motor industry and domestic goods.
1048:
483:
170:
Steelmaking at the Port Talbot complex began with the Margam Iron and Steel Works, completed between 1923 and 1926.
37:
886:
851:
Kinnock, Stephen (31 March 2016). "As MP for Port Talbot, I believe Brexit would be disastrous for
British steel".
95:
plants or sold in slab form. The works covers a large area of land which dominates the east of the town. Its two
40:
per annum. This makes it the larger of the two major steel plants in the United
Kingdom and one of the largest in
1225:
1096:
University of
Leicester - A South Wales Blast Furnace - Twentieth century heavy industry, Port Talbot, Glamorgan
140:
320:
In
September 2023 the UK Government agreed to pay Tata a £500 million subsidy in order for it to invest in an
178:
1155:
1364:
363:
that day. At the time of the accident, the Port Talbot plant was still controlled by Corus Steel UK.
249:
698:
56:
721:
1200:
509:
806:
1250:
1245:
1190:
296:
253:
245:
202:
127:
The site at Margam is made up of a number of plants across a large site, developed since 1901.
923:
1180:
375:
108:
1286:
1185:
1175:
1165:
321:
154:
The site was closed in 1961 and demolished in 1963. The
General Offices housed Port Talbot
1205:
8:
1291:
1271:
1215:
1160:
300:
299:
steel coils per annum, for a variety of different end uses. Output is taken by rail from
285:
277:
1306:
1296:
1210:
1170:
214:
213:
production being retained in its original heartland further west, at two new works in
1281:
1276:
1255:
755:
598:
505:
479:
159:
148:
1240:
978:"'Hypocrisy': Tata builds vast India furnace despite Port Talbot emissions claims"
887:"British steel exports to EU plunged by a third after Brexit, sector figures show"
703:
682:
655:
337:
222:
748:"Tata Steel to shut down Port Talbot blast furnaces, putting 3,000 jobs at risk"
284:
It is an integrated steelmaking site using imported ore and coal; together with
1138:
1062:
677:
650:
394:
1100:
499:
1353:
1335:
1322:
759:
637:
Tata blames cheap imports of Chinese steel, high energy costs and weak demand
144:
96:
624:
332:
293:
1195:
1031:
906:"British Steel's Ron Deelen: 'We would like to start spending big money'"
289:
257:
104:
29:
699:"British steelmakers warn on 'hugely negative' impact of no-deal Brexit"
366:
In 2019 a contractor was killed while servicing machinery at the plant.
419:
261:
230:
191:
100:
92:
83:
834:"Brexit will cause more damage to UK steel industry, warns trade body"
331:
blamed Net Zero targets. However, Labour former Welsh First Minister
225:
into sand and peat. Opened in 1951, it was fully operational by 1953.
205:, to construct a modern integrated steelworks on a site then owned by
186:
Abbey Steelworks was planned in 1947, but today is correctly termed
119:
398:
238:
218:
210:
135:
The original works were built by Gilbertson, and situated south of
1032:"The explosion of No. 5 Blast Furnace, Corus UK Ltd, Port Talbot"
722:"Tata Steel to lay off 2,800 workers in major UK restructuring"
234:
194:
41:
782:"Port Talbot has been sacrificed to the angry god of net zero"
1091:
BBC - South West Wales in pictures:Port Talbot Slideshow Tour
1010:"Tata Steel fined £500,000 over death of worker Kevin Downey"
197:
33:
25:
1063:"Tata Steel death: Justin Day found 'slumped' in steelworks"
868:"The Death of British Steel and the Myth of the Good Brexit"
395:"Tata Steel Thyssenkrupp merger: Safeguard Welsh jobs call"
548:
103:
plant buildings are major landmarks visible from both the
807:"Thatcher closed the mines, Brexit closed the steelworks"
206:
36:, capable of producing nearly 5 million tonnes of steel
678:"Tata Steel: CEO calls for UK government funding help"
651:"Brexit stalls Tata Steel's UK operations sale plans"
359:
was rebuilt and resumed operation from 2003 onwards.
252:, which was subsequently privatised and merged with
1004:
1002:
1000:
998:
618:Ruddick, Graham; Stewart, Heather (30 March 2016).
139:. Constructed in 1901–5, the works was named after
288:, the plants produce up to 3.5 million tonnes of
1351:
995:
620:"Tata Steel to sell off entire British business"
476:Historic concrete : background to appraisal
147:, the principal sponsor of the developments at
617:
188:Tata Steel Strip Products UK Port Talbot Works
1121:
924:"Written evidence submitted by British Steel"
16:Steel production plant in Port Talbot, Wales
1360:Metallurgical industry of the United Kingdom
597:. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. 2008.
315:
158:until 2012, but the rest of the site is an
1128:
1114:
473:
237:largest steelworks and the largest single
55:
524:"ABBEY WORKS, MARGAM STEEL WORKS, MARGAM"
241:in Wales, with a labour force of 18,000.
271:
221:. The steelworks were built upon 32,000
209:. However, political manoeuvring led to
177:
118:
1370:Buildings and structures in Port Talbot
850:
831:
779:
648:
595:The Welsh Academy Encyclopedia of Wales
478:. London: Thomas Telford. p. 129.
306:
190:. It is believed to be named after the
44:. Over 4,000 people work at the plant.
1352:
1049:"Corus to rebuild Port Talbot furnace"
975:
865:
745:
696:
512:from the original on 22 December 2021.
1109:
903:
884:
716:
714:
342:EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
949:"Tata Steel Annual Report 2020-2021"
780:Pearson, Allison (19 January 2024).
130:
697:Pooler, Michael (5 February 2019).
248:was nationalised and absorbed into
13:
1143:Steel plants in the United Kingdom
711:
350:
233:in the 1960s, the Abbey Works was
14:
1386:
1375:Ironworks and steelworks in Wales
1084:
413:"How to get to Port Talbot Works"
1224:
1137:
976:Lawson, Alex (24 January 2024).
904:Tovey, Alan (15 February 2021).
583:from the original on 8 May 2019.
549:Port Talbot Historical Society.
526:. coflein.gov.uk. Archived from
451:. coflein.gov.uk. Archived from
1055:
1041:
1024:
969:
941:
916:
897:
878:
859:
844:
825:
799:
773:
746:Davies, Rob (18 January 2024).
739:
690:
670:
649:Meechan, Brian (27 June 2016).
642:
611:
267:
165:
111:when passing through the town.
832:Stubley, Peter (26 May 2019).
587:
569:
542:
516:
492:
467:
441:
405:
387:
173:
141:Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
1:
1156:Barrow Hematite Steel Company
474:Sutherland, R. J. M. (2001).
381:
1012:. Wales Online. 31 July 2012
866:Knight, Sam (10 July 2019).
280:with a load of steel empties
151:, which had opened in 1837.
7:
885:Glaze, Ben (9 April 2021).
369:
276:EWS Class 66 heads towards
137:Port Talbot railway station
10:
1391:
114:
1264:
1233:
1222:
1148:
316:Closure of blast furnaces
250:British Steel Corporation
79:
71:
63:
54:
49:
928:committees.parliament.uk
449:"Port Talbot steelworks"
207:Guest, Keen and Baldwins
182:Ironworks at Port Talbot
1201:Skinningrove Steelworks
1302:Port Talbot Steelworks
1251:Ravenscraig steelworks
1246:Clydebridge Steelworks
1191:Sheffield Forgemasters
281:
246:Steel Company of Wales
203:Steel Company of Wales
183:
124:
50:Port Talbot Steelworks
22:Port Talbot Steelworks
1181:Scunthorpe Steelworks
376:Scunthorpe Steelworks
275:
181:
122:
109:South Wales Main Line
1336:51.56613°N 3.76831°W
1287:Ebbw Vale Steelworks
1186:Sheerness Steelworks
1176:Round Oak Steelworks
956:.tatasteeleurope.com
401:. 20 September 2017.
322:electric arc furnace
307:Financial challenges
28:production plant in
1332: /
1292:Llanwern steelworks
1272:Blaenavon Ironworks
1216:Teesside Steelworks
1161:Brown Bayley Steels
686:. 18 November 2020.
301:Margam Knuckle Yard
286:Llanwern steelworks
278:Margam Knuckle Yard
1341:51.56613; -3.76831
1307:Trostre Steelworks
1297:Panteg Steel Works
1211:Teesside Beam Mill
1171:Firth Brown Steels
1051:. 16 January 2002.
551:"Time Line 20th C"
282:
184:
156:magistrates' court
125:
1365:Tata Steel Europe
1315:
1314:
1282:Dowlais Ironworks
1277:Brymbo Steelworks
1256:Shotts Iron Works
813:. 20 January 2024
604:978-0-7083-1953-6
557:on 19 August 2006
506:British Movietone
160:industrial estate
149:Port Talbot docks
131:Port Talbot works
89:
88:
24:is an integrated
1382:
1347:
1346:
1344:
1343:
1342:
1337:
1333:
1330:
1329:
1328:
1325:
1241:Clyde Iron Works
1228:
1142:
1141:
1130:
1123:
1116:
1107:
1106:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1074:
1069:. 4 October 2019
1059:
1053:
1052:
1045:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1028:
1022:
1021:
1019:
1017:
1006:
993:
992:
990:
988:
973:
967:
966:
964:
962:
953:
945:
939:
938:
936:
934:
920:
914:
913:
901:
895:
894:
882:
876:
875:
863:
857:
856:
848:
842:
841:
829:
823:
822:
820:
818:
803:
797:
796:
794:
792:
777:
771:
770:
768:
766:
743:
737:
736:
734:
732:
718:
709:
708:
694:
688:
687:
674:
668:
667:
665:
663:
646:
640:
639:
634:
632:
615:
609:
608:
591:
585:
584:
573:
567:
566:
564:
562:
553:. Archived from
546:
540:
539:
537:
535:
520:
514:
513:
496:
490:
489:
471:
465:
464:
462:
460:
445:
439:
438:
436:
434:
428:
422:. Archived from
417:
409:
403:
402:
391:
123:Blast Furnace #5
101:steel production
59:
47:
46:
1390:
1389:
1385:
1384:
1383:
1381:
1380:
1379:
1350:
1349:
1340:
1338:
1334:
1331:
1326:
1323:
1321:
1319:
1318:
1316:
1311:
1260:
1229:
1220:
1144:
1136:
1134:
1101:The Abbey Works
1087:
1082:
1072:
1070:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1047:
1046:
1042:
1034:
1030:
1029:
1025:
1015:
1013:
1008:
1007:
996:
986:
984:
974:
970:
960:
958:
951:
947:
946:
942:
932:
930:
922:
921:
917:
902:
898:
883:
879:
864:
860:
849:
845:
838:The Independent
830:
826:
816:
814:
805:
804:
800:
790:
788:
778:
774:
764:
762:
744:
740:
730:
728:
720:
719:
712:
704:Financial Times
695:
691:
683:BBC News Online
676:
675:
671:
661:
659:
656:BBC News Online
647:
643:
630:
628:
616:
612:
605:
593:
592:
588:
575:
574:
570:
560:
558:
547:
543:
533:
531:
530:on 17 July 2015
522:
521:
517:
498:
497:
493:
486:
472:
468:
458:
456:
455:on 17 July 2015
447:
446:
442:
432:
430:
429:on 3 April 2016
426:
415:
411:
410:
406:
393:
392:
388:
384:
372:
353:
351:Fatal accidents
338:Stephen Kinnock
318:
309:
270:
176:
168:
133:
117:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1388:
1378:
1377:
1372:
1367:
1362:
1313:
1312:
1310:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1268:
1266:
1262:
1261:
1259:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1237:
1235:
1231:
1230:
1223:
1221:
1219:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1152:
1150:
1146:
1145:
1133:
1132:
1125:
1118:
1110:
1104:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1086:
1085:External links
1083:
1081:
1080:
1054:
1040:
1023:
994:
968:
940:
915:
896:
877:
872:The New Yorker
858:
843:
824:
798:
772:
738:
710:
689:
669:
641:
610:
603:
586:
568:
541:
515:
491:
484:
466:
440:
404:
385:
383:
380:
379:
378:
371:
368:
352:
349:
317:
314:
308:
305:
269:
266:
175:
172:
167:
164:
132:
129:
116:
113:
97:blast furnaces
87:
86:
81:
77:
76:
73:
69:
68:
65:
61:
60:
52:
51:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1387:
1376:
1373:
1371:
1368:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1357:
1355:
1348:
1345:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1269:
1267:
1263:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1238:
1236:
1232:
1227:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1151:
1147:
1140:
1131:
1126:
1124:
1119:
1117:
1112:
1111:
1108:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1088:
1068:
1064:
1058:
1050:
1044:
1033:
1027:
1011:
1005:
1003:
1001:
999:
983:
979:
972:
957:
950:
944:
929:
925:
919:
911:
910:The Telegraph
907:
900:
892:
888:
881:
873:
869:
862:
854:
847:
839:
835:
828:
812:
808:
802:
787:
786:The Telegraph
783:
776:
761:
757:
753:
749:
742:
727:
723:
717:
715:
706:
705:
700:
693:
685:
684:
679:
673:
658:
657:
652:
645:
638:
627:
626:
621:
614:
606:
600:
596:
590:
582:
578:
572:
556:
552:
545:
529:
525:
519:
511:
507:
503:
502:
495:
487:
485:9780727728753
481:
477:
470:
454:
450:
444:
425:
421:
414:
408:
400:
396:
390:
386:
377:
374:
373:
367:
364:
360:
356:
348:
345:
343:
339:
334:
328:
325:
323:
313:
304:
302:
298:
295:
291:
287:
279:
274:
265:
263:
259:
255:
251:
247:
244:In 1967, The
242:
240:
236:
232:
226:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
199:
196:
193:
189:
180:
171:
163:
161:
157:
152:
150:
146:
145:Margam Castle
142:
138:
128:
121:
112:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
85:
82:
78:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
53:
48:
45:
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
23:
19:
1317:
1301:
1206:Stocksbridge
1071:. Retrieved
1066:
1057:
1043:
1026:
1014:. Retrieved
985:. Retrieved
982:The Guardian
981:
971:
959:. Retrieved
955:
943:
931:. Retrieved
927:
918:
909:
899:
890:
880:
871:
861:
853:The Guardian
852:
846:
837:
827:
815:. Retrieved
811:Byines Cymru
810:
801:
789:. Retrieved
785:
775:
763:. Retrieved
752:The Guardian
751:
741:
729:. Retrieved
725:
702:
692:
681:
672:
660:. Retrieved
654:
644:
636:
629:. Retrieved
625:The Guardian
623:
613:
594:
589:
571:
559:. Retrieved
555:the original
544:
534:21 September
532:. Retrieved
528:the original
518:
500:
494:
475:
469:
459:21 September
457:. Retrieved
453:the original
443:
431:. Retrieved
424:the original
407:
389:
365:
361:
357:
354:
346:
333:Carwyn Jones
329:
326:
319:
310:
283:
268:21st century
243:
227:
187:
185:
169:
166:Margam works
153:
134:
126:
90:
21:
20:
18:
1339: /
1196:Shelton Bar
294:cold rolled
258:Corus Group
174:Abbey works
105:M4 motorway
67:Steelmaking
30:Port Talbot
1354:Categories
1324:51°33′58″N
987:27 January
961:18 January
933:18 January
891:The Mirror
817:18 January
791:18 January
765:18 January
731:18 January
726:www.ft.com
501:Steelworks
420:Tata Steel
382:References
290:hot rolled
262:Tata Group
231:employment
192:Cistercian
93:Tata Steel
84:Tata Steel
1327:3°46′06″W
760:0261-3077
561:18 August
254:Hoogovens
72:Employees
1234:Scotland
1067:BBC News
631:31 March
581:Archived
510:Archived
399:BBC News
370:See also
297:annealed
256:to form
239:employer
235:Europe's
219:Felindre
211:tinplate
107:and the
80:Owner(s)
64:Industry
1149:England
1016:31 July
662:27 June
433:28 July
215:Trostre
115:History
1073:4 July
758:
601:
482:
195:Margam
42:Europe
1265:Wales
1166:Corby
1035:(PDF)
952:(PDF)
427:(PDF)
416:(PDF)
223:piles
198:Abbey
75:4,000
34:Wales
26:steel
1075:2024
1018:2012
989:2024
963:2024
935:2024
819:2024
793:2024
767:2024
756:ISSN
733:2024
664:2016
633:2016
599:ISBN
563:2010
536:2011
480:ISBN
461:2011
435:2016
292:and
217:and
99:and
38:slab
143:of
1356::
1065:.
997:^
980:.
954:.
926:.
908:.
889:.
870:.
836:.
809:.
784:.
754:.
750:.
724:.
713:^
701:.
680:.
653:.
635:.
622:.
579:.
508:.
504:.
418:.
397:.
260:.
162:.
32:,
1129:e
1122:t
1115:v
1077:.
1037:.
1020:.
991:.
965:.
937:.
912:.
893:.
874:.
855:.
840:.
821:.
795:.
769:.
735:.
707:.
666:.
607:.
565:.
538:.
488:.
463:.
437:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
