British Steel will consult on the closure of our two blast furnaces, steelmaking operations and a reduction of steel rolling mill capacity in Scunthorpe.
Since 2020 our shareholder, Jingye, has invested more than £1.2bn to maintain operations amid ongoing production instability and significant financial losses of around £700k a day.
Investments to date include over £300m in strategic capital projects such as a state-of-the-art mast service centre in Skinningrove, a rail stocking facility and a new billet caster.
Despite this, the blast furnaces and steelmaking operations are no longer financially sustainable due to highly challenging market conditions, the imposition of tariffs, and higher environmental costs relating to the production of high-carbon steel.
The company had sought support from the UK Government for a major capital investment in two new Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF). However, following many months of negotiations, no agreement has been reached.
As a result, the difficult decision has been made to consult with employees and to consider proposals to close the blast furnaces and steelmaking operations and reduce rolling mill capacity.
We understand this is an extremely difficult day for our staff, their families, and everyone associated with British Steel.
But we believe this is a necessary decision given the hugely challenging circumstances the business faces.
We remain committed to engaging with our workforce and unions, as well as our suppliers and customers during this time.