Steelmaking coming back to Teesside

[northernrower]

Apparently.

It's the news on twitter and it's reported in the Northern Echo.

Do any FMTTMers have any information on this?

(I'm hoping for genuine comments, please don't make it into a political slanging match).

 

[Fat_Dragon]

Teesside steelmaking revival as British Steel confirms furnace plans

Between 250 and 300 direct jobs will be created with thousands more in the supply chain and construction

www.gazettelive.co.uk

 

[TeaCider]

https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2023-11-06/steelmaking-set-to-return-to-teesside-with-investment-in-green-steel

It's true, and it's good news for the area if it pans out.

Wouldn't surprise me if it's a net loss of jobs with the closures in Scunthorpe though.

 

[Badonde]

Saw it too.
Really surprised not mentioned on here.
Good news - Scunthorpe wanted one big plant but the power supply not available until 2034.
One electric arc plant in Scunny and one on Teesside instead.
Got to be good news. 300 jobs mentioned

 

[Nobby_Barnes]

Brilliant news
Levelling Up

 

[Muttley]

Heard this earlier. I had two thoughts on it

1. I'll believe it when it happens

2. This might be construed as a "benefit" (consequence might be a better word) of the war in Europe an acknowledgement that a home based industrial and manufacturing capability should not be undervalued.

 

[ThePrisoner]

And suddenly Houtchen's mates company set up to supply electricity to the site makes sense.

 

[sherlock]

Arc furnaces don’t ‘make’ steel do they?

Don’t they just recycle steel for lower grade products?

This seemingly in no way replaces the proper steel making facilities Teesside lost, or indeed that to be lost at Scunthorpe.

 

[RedAsABeetroot]

Arc furnaces don’t ‘make’ steel do they?

Don’t they just recycle steel for lower grade products?

This seemingly in no way replaces the proper steel making facilities Teesside lost, or indeed that to be lost at Scunthorpe.

I must admit I was a bit confused as one article I read said you couldn't make construction grade steel in an arc furnace, but another says it will feed Teesside Beam Mill.

Found the quote and the article.

"Electric arc furnaces are mostly used to melt down and repurpose scrap steel. The end product is not the same grade of steel that is produced in blast furnaces, and is not suitable for all industrial uses in, for example, motor manufacturing and construction."

British Steel set to cut up to 2,000 jobs in furnace closure plan

British Steel confirms a plan to close two blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[sherlock]

I must admit I was a bit confused as one article I read said you couldn't make construction grade steel in an arc furnace, but another says it will feed Teesside Beam Mill.

I’m no expert, but Houchen is crowing about this which makes it nailed on that all is not as it seems.

 

[Chris_Boro]

I could be wrong, but isn't it also dependent on a large (£300m+) subsidy?

 

[El Guapo]

It isn’t steel making, it’s steel recycling really.

Still, its jobs for the area at least.

 

[sherlock]

I could be wrong, but isn't it also dependent on a large (£300m+) subsidy?

Yep

 

[Piccadilly Day Tripper]

Oh, so its not really an actual return of steel industry, more the announcement of a site that may open that will be used to recycle used steel for lower grade steel that cannot be used for construction or manufacturing? At the cost of jobs elsewhere in the Red Wall. With more government sweeteners going to international businesses, which we were supposed to see the back of with Brexit.

Got it.

 

[xxlshirts_fit_all]

I think it’s like hobby or arts and craft steel…

Will provide down stream jobs in the Christmas school craft fairs…

 

[Centralscrutinizer]

Oh, so its not really an actual return of steel industry, more the announcement of a site that may open that will be used to recycle used steel for lower grade steel that cannot be used for construction or manufacturing? At the cost of jobs elsewhere in the Red Wall. With more government sweeteners going to international businesses, which we were supposed to see the back of with Brexit.

Got it.

Yep. We need to bribe the Chinese owners of the steel works to build an arc furnace for us. What's not to like ?

 

[Uhtred]

I must admit I was a bit confused as one article I read said you couldn't make construction grade steel in an arc furnace, but another says it will feed Teesside Beam Mill.

Found the quote and the article.

"Electric arc furnaces are mostly used to melt down and repurpose scrap steel. The end product is not the same grade of steel that is produced in blast furnaces, and is not suitable for all industrial uses in, for example, motor manufacturing and construction."

British Steel set to cut up to 2,000 jobs in furnace closure plan

British Steel confirms a plan to close two blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant.

www.bbc.co.uk

You don't make steel in a blast furnace, you make iron.

 

[Uhtred]

Back in the day, I worked on the arc furnace at cleveland works , and a lot of our steel was sent to Skinningrove to be rolled into rail tracks. A decent medium grade of steel , not low grade.

 

[sherlock]

Back in the day, I worked on the arc furnace at cleveland works , and a lot of our steel was sent to Skinningrove to be rolled into rail tracks. A decent medium grade of steel , not low grade.

That’s ok then, as long as it can produce decent medium grade….

 

[motownjunk]

Back in the day, I worked on the arc furnace at cleveland works , and a lot of our steel was sent to Skinningrove to be rolled into rail tracks. A decent medium grade of steel , not low grade.

The quality of the steel is very dependent on what scrap you put in. The main advantages are you can stop and start an arc furnace and it requires a lot less manning. Main disadvantages are lower quality steel but the main disadvantage is it takes huge amounts of energy. The arc furnace in Newport has been shut down lots when energy prices spike .