🌟 Exciting News: The West Midlands signs the UK Steel Charter at Marcegaglia’s Oldbury Site 🇬🇧🏭
We are thrilled to announce a significant step forward for the steel industry as West Midlands mayor Andy Street signed the UK Steel Charter at the Marcegaglia site in Oldbury last week. The Steel Charter reaffirms the areas dedication to supporting the UK steel industry and fostering sustainable growth.
🔗 What is the UK Steel Charter?
The UK Steel Charter is a groundbreaking initiative that unites local authorities, businesses, and communities in a shared commitment to prioritize the use of UK-produced steel in public projects.
🏗️ Boosting Local Economies:
By signing this charter, the West Midlands are making a resounding statement about the commitment to strengthening the region’s steel industry. Andy Street stated “This initiative can help to increase the amount of high-quality steel manufactured in Britain and increase the supply of British made steel contributing to key West Midlands projects.”
Gareth Stace, Director General of UK Steel went on to say “All major construction and engineering projects both here in the West Midlands and throughout the UK will reap benefits from purchasing steel that is made, processed, and delivered here in Britain.
The West Midlands is home to at least 15 sites manufacturing, processing and handling steel. The anticipated 860-tonne order for UK-made steel in the expansion of the Metro Rail for the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill scheme from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) should bring benefits to the local steel industry.
🌿 Championing Sustainability:
Together with Marcegaglia, the West Midlands are committed to environmental sustainability. Choosing UK-produced steel aligns with our goals to reduce our carbon footprint and support the transition towards a greener future. The UK Steel Charter reinforces the commitment to a sustainable West Midlands and a sustainable UK steel industry
🤝 Collaboration and Innovation:
The West Midlands has always been a hub of innovation and collaboration. Marcegaglia are undertaking a £32million investment programme of the Oldbury site since its acquisition in 2021 which will create an additional 70 jobs on top of the 175 already employed on the site, we strengthen our bonds with steel producers, fostering innovation and ensuring the highest quality materials for infrastructure projects in the West Midlands, the UK and globally.
“Marcegaglia acquired upstream manufacturing facilities in Sheffield this year. This primary stainless steel making asset is worth several hundreds of millions to the UK economy. The investment in this facility means a return to full capacity of 500,000 tonnes of steel,” commented Nick Haycock, who went on to say “The UK has now become the second most important country for the Marcegaglia Group. Producing our steel tubular products here means UK-made steel is supplying national projects like HS2. It is now crucial to create a robust UK industrial strategy to support the competitiveness of the UK steel industry, to preserve and develop production and increase employment, also in view of the export flows requirements. ,”.
Pouring molten metal into a metallurgical electric arc furnace. Image courtesy of Nordroden, iStock by Getty Images.
