Final blast furnace is shut down for good at Tata's Port Talbot steelworks (original) (raw)

The final blast furnace at Port Talbot's Tata steelworks has been shut down tonight, marking the end of an era at the historic site. After days of winding down, it was confirmed blast furnace four and other heavy end facilities had stopped operating by 6.30pm on Monday, September 30.

While the second remaining blast furnace stopped operating in July, it is this closure which will trigger 1,900 job losses at Port Talbot and more at other Tata UK operations, including other sites in Wales.

Works will now take place to change the site and build a new furnace to produce steel in a greener way from 2027. The new electric arc furnace, which recycles scrap to make steel, will produce less emissions but also requires less staff. The transition is costing £1.25bn, with £500m being put forward by the UK Government.

The process of winding down the final blast furnace has been underway for a number of days. Tata warned residents beforehand they should expect 'whooshing' sounds and plumes of steam.

In a statement by three managers at Tata, it was confirmed the process of closing the heavy end of the plant had finished safely around 6.30pm.

"We can confirm that we have completed the closure process of Port Talbot's heavy end (blast furnace 4, the sinter plant and steel plant) safely. We have also made the final tap of molten material on BF4. This is, of course, a sad day for many of us across the industry.

"To reinforce the sentiment that we shared following BF5's closure, we cannot describe, not only how proud we feel to have been part of the team who has managed this closure process so expertly, but to be a part of this important, albeit difficult, moment in history. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news

"While the closure of our heavy end here in Port Talbot is extremely sad, we must look to the future and the opportunity not only to sustain steelmaking in south Wales, and across the UK, but to be an early adopter of electric arc furnace steelmaking of flat carbon steels in Europe.

"We would like to thank all those involved in the closure process and to all those in our local communities who have been so supportive and understanding at such a difficult time," the statement read. It was signed by Dean Cartwright, James Davies and Steve Maynard.

Pictures from the last day were released by Tata showing workers in front of the blast furnace and the final tap of molten iron taking place.

Live updates below:

Key Events

19:01Ruth Mosalski

A moment of history

Our photographer John Myers took this photograph minutes after Tata confirmed the closure of the blast furnace and heavy end had been completed.

The final blast furnace at Port Talbot's Tata steelworks has been turned off (Image: John Myers)

18:31KEY EVENT

The blast furnace and heavy end closure has been completed

Tata has confirmed the blast furnace and heavy end closure has now been completed.

We can confirm that we have completed the closure process of Port Talbot's heavy end (blast furnace 4, the sinter plant and steel plant) safely. We have also made the final tap of molten material on BF4. This is, of course, a sad day for many of us across the industry.

To reinforce the sentiment that we shared following BF5's closure, we cannot describe, not only how proud we feel to have been part of the team who has managed this closure process so expertly, but to be a part of this important, albeit difficult, moment in history.

While the closure of our heavy end here in Port Talbot is extremely sad, we must look to the future and the opportunity not only to sustain steelmaking in south Wales, and across the UK, but to be an early adopter of electric arc furnace steelmaking of flat carbon steels in Europe.

We would like to thank all those involved in the closure process and to all those in our local communities who have been so supportive and understanding at such a difficult time.

17:46Ruth Mosalski

'The future is up in the air'

Rhidian Mizen has two sons working at the steelworks, both there on day shifts today. He was also interviewed on Radio Wales. He said: "They're at a loss wondering what will happen in the future".

His oldest son worked at Ford in Bridgend but lost his job there when it closed, and is now losing his job at the steelworks too. His second is buying a house in Port Talbot. "The future is up in the air for them."

Both have requested to stay but would move to Trostre or Llanwen. "But who knows".

He said the impact will be huge on those working there, but also contractors and those who keep the steelworks going. "It's going to be huge for the area, not just Port Talbot but Bridgend and Maesteg as well".

17:39Ruth Mosalski

'It's a frightening prospect'

Steven Surtees has worked at Tata in Port Talbot for 45 years and has taken redundancy. He spoke to BBC Radio Wales tonight.

Mr Surtees said: "It's absolutely heartbreaking. The history of the place, but it's not the history now, we learn from history but we're moving forward and giving the youngsters the opportunities that I have had and other people who are finishing have had. The redundancy package has fallen at a great time for me, but park that, it's the jobs we're losing, we're exporting our skilled craft over the water and it's a tragedy.

"For me, and a lot of people feel it's vandalism on an industrial scale and it shouldn't be allowed to happen".

He said he feels anger towards the company, but the government too.

"If we had a transition period from the blast furnace to electric arc, that would smooth things over, but at this moment there's no trust in the company, or the government, they haven't done a great deal for us".

His last day will be in November, he said. Describing reading his redundancy date in a letter, he said: "When I had my letter with teh finishing date, to say the butterflies were flying round in my stomach was an understatement. It's quite a frightening prospect. It's been 45 years, then all of a sudden you don't wake up with a purpose.

"It's a new chapter and I'll look forward to it but I wish I could be leaving the keys behind for the younger generation for what I and others could do before us".

17:19Ruth Mosalski

Images from the blast furnace

Tata has released images of the last day of operations at blast furnace four. The images were taken by Jonathan James, who worked in the coke ovens at the Port Talbot site.

Staff pictured at the site:

An image from the last hours of blast furnace four at the Port Talbot steelworks (Image: Jonathan James)

Inside the blast furnace's last tap:

The last tap at the Port Talbot steelworks (Image: Jonathan James)

The last moments of the heavy end operating were captured in pictures:

The images were captured by Jon James, who worked in the now-closed coke ovens (Image: Jonathan James)

16:59Ruth Mosalski

Inside the steelworks

In the lead up to today, WalesOnline went to the steelworks to document the site before the changes. Photographer John Myers captured images of the heavy end, which will stop being used from today. You can see all the images here.

(Image: John Myers)

16:14Ruth Mosalski

Black steam from the blast furnace

Black steam comes from the blast furnace at Tata's Port Talbot steelworks (Image: PA)

16:11Robert Dalling

'A day of mourning'

Our reporter Robert Dalling is at the site.

John Warman, ex-steelworker at Tata in Port Talbot as the blast furnace is turned off (Image: Robert Dalling)

John Warman is a former steelworker, who worked there for 30 years, starting on the blast furnaces in 1966. He turned up at the works today to witness the moment for himself.

He said: “When I first started, there was 22,000 people working there. I always remember my first night shift, there must have been ten to 15 works buses taking people home to Neath, Swansea. It was amazing how big it was and what it did for the community in terms of the economy. My feeling was Port Talbot steelworks was the backbone of the west Glamorgan economy - it always has been.

“It’s sad for me to be here today - I had to come just to witness and see the furnace. It’s just so sad, and to me, it’s a wave of despondency which is over Port Talbot town about what’s happening today.

“The feeling is sad - it’s a day of mourning, and there will be more days of mourning over this as well, and there’s the uncertainty for the future with what is going to happen with this electric arc. It’s not been explained properly.

“You are not going to get the same quality of steel from electric arc than you do from these blast furnaces. Jobs are disappearing and it’s going to be a big blow to the economy - it’s going to affect families with mortgages.”

15:00Cathy Owen

'There could have been a better deal'

Wales Office minister, Nia Griffith MP, said if the last Conservative government had "got on with the job" there could have been a better deal for workers at Tata's Port Talbot site.

The Welsh Office minister added: "It's a really worrying time for every single worker and their families, they're worrying about what the future holds"

Speaking to the PA news agency outside the Port Talbot steelworks as the last blast furnace is shut off, Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli and a minister in the Wales Office, said the Government would ensure Tata is held to account. She said: "(Tata) must be held to account and the way to do that is to keep your eye on them all the time, not to turn your back and not be looking at what's happening. They are absolutely going to have to deliver."

She said the company would not be given promised Government funding if they fail to produced jobs.

Having spoken with Port Talbot workers in recent days, the minister said she knows of their "immense" feelings of anger, sadness and loss. "It's your whole life when you lose your job and you see an industry that you've loved apparently closing," she said. "We know it's temporary, but it's still a gap of several years before the jobs will come on stream again for the electric arc furnace."

14:43Cathy Owen

Black smoke coming from the plant

Lots of black smoke and noises coming from the plant at the moment on what is a sombre day for the town of Port Talbot.

(Image: @BronWeatherby)

13:57Ruth Mosalski

How the new type of furnace will work

A diagram about how the new electric arc furnace would work from a recently published planning statement.

13:54Ruth Mosalski

What will change at the site?

Early planning documents were recently made public about the plans to change to the 3.2 million tonne electric arc furnace - the same capacity as now. But this type of furnace uses scrap iron instead of pure iron ore.

The EAF will, Tata say, ensure that steel is still made in the UK by "creating a financially and environmentally sustainable business" and support their decarbonisation requirements - the current blast furnace model is hugely polluting.

They say that the UK generates 10m tonnes of scrap steel every yaer, and 7-8m tonnes are exported. Using scrap steel rather than importing iron ore and coal will "significantly increase self-sufficiency". The company accept technology is still evolving. RIght now only 90% of steel grades can be made via EAF, something which has raised concerns.

Tata says that it will decommission and make safe the existing heavy end, but there is no commitment to the wholesale demolition of the structures. Any further regeneration of the land will be subject to separate planning applications.

Tata say this option is the only investment option capable of meeting the need to ensurethe steelworks becomes financially, operationally and environmentally sustainable. However, unions have called the switch to an EAF "hugely risky" and untested elsewhere. You can read those comments here.

13:47Ruth Mosalski

What is a blast furnace and what's changing?

Blast furnaces have been used at Port Talbot since the 1950s and steelmaking has been taking place at the site for 100 years. A blast furnace is a large industrial furnace that's used to extract iron from iron ore.

It is called primary or virgin steelmaking. Iron ore is put in, heated, and the oxygen removed. The liquid iron remaining is made in the blast furnace, which then goes into a "torpedo" to be transported, cooled and rolled into steel.

However, that is changing. Tata say a number of the assets at Port Talbot are already at the end of their life, and it is losing £1m a day in the current set up, the only way to keep any jobs at Port Talbot is a change to a £1.25bn electric arc furnace.

Already, the deep-water harbour, coke ovens, blast furnace 5 and continuous caster 2, have closed. Today, blast furnace four will stop, as will the sinter plant, so primary steelmaking ends at Port Talbot, along with some secondary steelmaking and energy systems.

In the next few hours the final "tap" will take place - the last of the liquid is removed.

The planning process for the new electric arc furnace will begin soon, but decommissioning the site will take years. If Tata's timeline is met, steelmaking at the site will resume in 2027/2028 but with an electric arc furnace.

13:04Ruth Mosalski

Tata chief executive says today is a 'difficult' day

The chief executive of Tata Steel has said he is "deeply conscious" of how difficult the closure of the last blast furnace in Port Talbot is.

Rajesh Nair, Chief Executive of Tata Steel UK (Image: Getty Images)

In a statement Rajesh Nair said: "I am deeply conscious how difficult today is for everyone associated with our business. Throughout this transition we are doing everything possible to minimise the impact on all those who are affected by the changes we are making. Today marks a significant event in the history of iron and steelmaking in the UK as the legacy steelmaking assets in Port Talbot close, having reached their end of life.

It is important at this juncture to pause, recognise and credit the huge contribution of the many thousands of people and the technologies that have sustained our industry and communities here for generations.

He added there can be a "brighter, greener future" through a £1.25 billion investment in low-carbon scrap-based steelmaking.

The move is expected to secure 5,000 jobs across the country and "will also give Tata Steel businesses across the UK a competitive market advantage".

"I also believe our ability to supply customers with the highest quality low-CO2 steels will provide a catalyst for others to co-invest in the south Wales region, and we look forward to future collaborations between business partners, academia, governments and communities that will secure that future."

13:02Ruth Mosalski

Large plumes of steam will be visible as furnace is closed down

Residents had already been told to expect steam coming from the top of the blast furnace, as well as a "continuous whooshing noise" but people are told there may also be visible red plumes of smoke.

The process of closing the blast furnace will, a statement says, finish today.

From Dean Cartwright, Works Manager Coke Sinter & Iron, James Davies, Works Manager Steel & Slab, and Steve Maynard, Works Manager, Energypic.twitter.com/a1GETwzbud

— Tata Steel UK (@TataSteelUK) September 30, 2024

12:15Ruth Mosalski

'Port Talbot will always be a steel town'

Labour MP Stephen Kinnock was on BBC Radio Wales this morning. He said there were "mixed emotions". "There's sadness because those towering blast furnaces have been part of the life of this town for decades and decades adn it's a sense of concern about the future, anxiety of course, and pride. Pride that this town has been at the heart of the manufacturing system for so long".

MP Stephen Kinnock (Image: John Myers)

He said steel has made the "cars we drive, the trains we ride in, offices we work in, even the knives and forks we eat our meals with, we're incredibly proud of the role we've played as a lifeblood of the British economy and I also think there's also a sense we're transitioning. We're moving to a new form of steel making and we do so confident in the knowledge that Port Talbot will always be a steel town".

Asked if his party had given workers false hope before the general election by saying it would save jobs if it got into power. "Well, we inherited a terrible mess," he answered. "The Tories, over 14 years were constantly behind the curve, ignoring what needed to be done to prepare for the transition to a different type of steel. The way the market is moving, it was clear that the world is going to shift ultimately".

He was asked why, when that was known, his party made promises. "We had to get the possible deal we could get for our steelworkers, that's happened".

11:03Ruth Mosalski

Closure is 'a blow through the heart of the town'

Unite regional secretary for Wales, Peter Hughes, said: “The closure of Port Talbot’s last remaining blast furnace and its virgin steel making facilities will strike a blow into the very heart of the town and the surrounding region. It marks the end of a proud history of traditional steelmaking that stretches back through generations of families.

“The priority must now be in rebuilding a strong steel industry in South Wales, protecting supply chains and bolstering the regional economy. Unite will be unrelenting in fighting to achieve that.”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham added: "These imminent job losses at Tata Steel are another act of industrial vandalism - transitions happening too late with too little money and workers paying the price."

10:43Ruth Mosalski

Did Labour get workers a better deal?

First Minister Eluned Morgan maintained in an interview this morning that a "much better deal" was secured by Labour. She asid the previous deal under the Conservatives came with "no strings attached" but she says Labour's Jonathan Reynolds got an improved redundancy and skills package and a commitment to a future steel strategy.

That redundancy scheme and whether Labour gained improvements is under some dispute.

A significiant redundancy package will be available to people and there will be 500 jobs available in construction of the new electric arc furnace, a £1.25bn investment. There will be some opportunities there for some of the workers. There's been an agreement with Tata to retrain workers. Some of that is already happening in the local colleges, in logistics, construction and project management.

The number of total job losses has not changed under a Labour administration.

The real problem was that under a UK Labour government came in at a time when actually lots of the decisions had. [been made]. It was too late to turn them back. The real failure was by the Conservative government.

Mrs Morgan said there is a commitment to a steel plan will be produced in the spring, a £2.5bn clean steel fund, "none of that was available under the Conservatives". She said there is also a "claw back clause" in the deal if staffing levels requirements aren't met.

She said it was an "unsettling" time for "skilled, unionised, well-paid jobs".

Tata is a worldwide enterprise that doesn't want to lose its reptuaiton. It's important to recognise the transition to EAF is a not insignificant investment and I think it provides hope for the future of steel making. We've got to recognise there was always going to be a change.

The transition wasn't planned in the way it should have been planned

10:35Ruth Mosalski

'I want to stay - it's all I've known'

Stuart Phillips, a shift manager at the steelworks has worked at the site for 27 years. He said it was a "very sad time" and there was a lot of uncertainty. He is still waiting to find out "if or where" we'll be redeployed and what the redundancy offer he will get is. "I'm hoping to stay, to be honest, I've been with the company for 27 years, it's all I've known.

"I left school and I've worked my way up through the ranks to where I currently am now, I'm hoping to remain in the business".

"I'm a single father, two daughters, one who lives with me, I've got a mortgage, and the same commitments as everyone else, like car finance and other outgoings, the same as everyone else in the business," he told BBC Radio 4.

"I'm actually in work at the moment, the shutdown of the furnace has already commenced. My current role wil be here until March and the future of that is still not 100% clear. It's still uncertain times and I'm just waiting for some clarity".

10:30Ruth Mosalski

'This community built this country'

Samuel Kurtz MS, Welsh Conservative shadow minister for economy and energy said:

This is a sad day for a community that, in many ways, built this country. We must recognise the incredible contribution of the workforce over the years and now both governments must work tirelessly to ensure a proper and just transition.

There is a bright future for steelmaking, the workforce and the wider community of Port Talbot, and all efforts must be focused on realising these opportunities.

10:30Ruth Mosalski

'There's still uncertainty' - GMB

On Radio 4's Today programme, Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, from the GMB union, was asked how many workers would be kept on to prepare the site for the new electric arc furnace. "They're still not a lot of certainty. There are some who have secured work elsewhere that the company has faciltated leaving dates to make sure those opportunities are lost but the blast furnace was charged for the last time in the middle of the night so there will be work to do to bring that operation down safely.

"But, a lot of people really don't know what decisions are being made about their job or what happens next".

09:44Cathy Owen

'Government determined to back workers' - Welsh secretary

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens is issued a statement this morning.

This is an extremely difficult time for the all the workers, their families and the wider community affected by Tata’s decision to close its remaining blast furnace at Port Talbot.

This government will support those affected and it is why within weeks of taking office we secured a better deal which secures the future of steelmaking in Port Talbot, lays the foundations for future investment and enhances protections for the workforce. We have also quickly released millions of pounds of funding from the transition board to support businesses and workers.

Applications for that funding are now open and more will follow very soon. This government is determined to back workers and businesses in our Welsh steel industry whatever happens.

09:09Cathy Owen

Need to plan for 'revival' - Plaid Cymru

"We must plan for the revival of our steel industry", says Plaid Cymru MS Luke Fletcher ahead of second blast furnace shutdown

The economy spokesperson blamed successive governments in Westminster and Cardiff Bay for “failing to develop an industrial strategy”.

He says: "During the general election, Labour promised a better deal for the Port Talbot steelworks. Today, the second of its two blast furnaces shuts down. This is more than just a factory closing – it’s the end of Welsh steelmaking and the livelihoods of countless workers and families.

"The decline of our steel industry is a direct consequence of successive governments failing to develop an industrial strategy. They neglected to acknowledge that without a strong steel sector, the car industry, shipbuilding, and heavy manufacturing are all doomed to fail. While other nations recognised the vital importance of domestic steel production and actively subsidised it, the UK chose to privatise and sell our steel assets to foreign entities, making us reliant on imports."

He added: “Plaid Cymru has long argued for the strategic importance of steelmaking to Wales’ economic interests, national security, and the pathway to net zero. It is deeply disappointing that both Westminster parties allowed this to happen. We cannot let this tragedy define the future of our economy; we must now plan for the revival of our steel industry and high skilled jobs it provides.”

09:04Cathy Owen

'A sad and mournful' day

Councillor John Warman a former Mayor of Neath Port Talbot and A former steelworker who worked there for nearly 30 years and worked on the blast furnaces said today:

The closure of number 4 blast furnace today is a sad and mournful day for Port Talbot and also the wider community, the Port Talbot steelworks has been the backbone of the west Glamorgan economy for countless years and the closure of the iron works will place a cloud of despondency over the community and further afield,

Councillor Warman said he will visit the steelworks later today to wave goodbye and pay his respects to the iconic blast furnaces which he has described as "a tower inspiring landmark that for years that sent out the message we are Port Talbot and light the flame".

08:30Cathy Owen

'No celebration to be had today'

Alan continued; "We have already gone through the pain of the guys in the coke ovens shutting them down. There is no celebration to be had today.

"There is just a feeling of disappointment. At this point in time, I don't think there was any need to shut the furnaces down and that is what disappoints me most about Tata and how they dealt with this situation."

Asked about what it has been like with the new Labour government coming in, he said "The process of them coming in has been difficult. I have met with senior members of the government and at this point in time the government are putting in the money that was promised. The unfortunate thing is they can't force Tata into keeping people on and making a just transition."

07:56Cathy Owen

Communication about what happens next 'at a minimum'

Alan _C_oombs, a Community union representative, says a lot of the staff have been given a notice period to work.

"The process of shutting down the furnace has been going on all week to shut it down safely," he told BBC Radio Wales. "After that there will be a lot of staff left on shift work, making the plant safe and putting things in order. After that, who knows.

"The communication about what happens after the plant has been made safe and the furnace shut off, has been at a minimum."

Representative of the Community trade Union, Alan Coombs (Image: Western Mail)

07:32Cathy Owen

Labour's plan is better - GMB

The Labour Government's plan for Port Talbot is better than the pre-election plan, the GMB union's national organiser for manufacturing has said.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Charlotte Brumpton-Childs said: "I think that the plan that we've got post-election is better than the plan that we had pre-election.

"We still ultimately end up in the same number of job losses, but there are more opportunities for people in the future in terms of investment commitments that the company have made, and a comprehensive trading package for those that are at risk of compulsory redundancy to be able to maintain employment with the business, and retrain and reskill.

"Hopefully ready for the electric arc furnace operations to come in the next couple of years."

07:11Ruth Mosalski

Business support scheme opened

Business Wales has today opened a £13.5m scheme for businesses in the Tata Steel UK supply chain to apply for funding. The fund will be delivered through a partnership between Neath Port Talbot Council and Welsh Government’s Business Wales.

It will provide business advice and financial support to affected supply chain businesses across Wales who are working in the Tata Steel UK supply chain and the aim is to help with short term challenges during the transition phase, as well as helping businesses face the future.

From 10am, on September 30 - the day the blast furnace will cease operating - businesses will be able to register their interest to discuss their needs with Business Wales, through an eligibility checker. Those suitable will then receive a comprehensive diagnostic ahead of being invited to apply for financial assistance.

06:53Ruth Mosalski

Council expecting 'big impact'

Neath Port Talbot says it is expecting there to be a “big impact” of the job losses at Tata. The council is facing a £23m gap in its budget and expects a spike in demand for services like housing, education and social services.

The authority says it has a “vital role” in rebuilding the local economy and helping those who have lost their jobs.

Cabinet member with responsibility for finance, Cllr Simon Knoyle, said: “We know our residents are continuing to be affected by the cost-of-living crisis and obviously the jobs that are being lost in our local economy as part of Tata’s transition are having a big impact.

“Reducing services, increasing charges and cutting secure jobs isn’t where we want to be but I’m afraid we have little choice unless the UK and Welsh governments invest in the vital public services all councils are struggling to maintain.”