Steelmaking in Scunthorpe has received a crucial lifeline with the arrival of a substantial shipment of raw materials, directly secured through government intervention. The Department for Business and Trade confirmed this weekend that over 55,000 tonnes of blast furnace coke, sourced from Bluescope Steel in Australia, have reached Immingham Bulk Terminal and will be transported to British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant. This delivery, equivalent to more than four times the weight of the Shard, ensures the continued operation of both blast furnaces at the site for the coming months.

This decisive action by the government follows concerns about the immediate future of the Scunthorpe steelworks and comes on the heels of British Steel’s announcement earlier this week that it had ended a consultation on staff redundancies initiated by its owners, Jingye, in March. The confirmed arrival of the coke, along with an upcoming shipment of over 66,000 tonnes of iron ore pellets and 27,000 tonnes of iron ore fines from Sweden, directly funded by the government using existing departmental budgets, provides much-needed stability for the workforce of approximately 3,000 individuals.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds emphasized the government’s commitment to the UK’s industrial base, stating, "This government is on the side of British workers and British industry. The action we’ve taken to secure primary steelmaking at Scunthorpe will not only support our national security but help our steel sector supply the construction of the homes and infrastructure of the future, as part of our Plan for Change." He further added that by securing the necessary raw materials, the government has "helped protect thousands of crucial steel jobs," allowing British Steel workers and their families to "breathe a sigh of relief."2

Allan Bell, Interim CEO of British Steel, echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the critical role of the raw material shipments in maintaining production. "We’ve successfully secured the raw materials we need to keep the blast furnaces running, meaning our production of steel can continue," he stated, commending the "hard work and dedication" of the company’s procurement, technical, and operational teams. Bell outlined the company’s focus on "stabilising our operations for the long-term, cementing British Steel as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of steel."

The positive impact of this intervention was also highlighted by Community Assistant General Secretary Alasdair McDiarmid, who expressed gratitude to both British Steel and the government for their "decisive work" in securing the future of the business. He noted that the imminent shipments provide "much-needed assurance" for their members in Scunthorpe, contrasting the current government's actions with "years of neglect." McDiarmid affirmed that the union now sees a "UK Government which understands the vital strategic importance of steel and is backing this up with action."