TPT July 2017

I NDUS T RY

Jobs secured as Liber ty House takes control of Tata Speciality Steels business

INTERNATIONAL industrials and metals group Liberty House announced in May that it would be creating around 300 new steel jobs and making multi-million pound investments to secure the future of five sites across the UK. The news came as Liberty formally completed the £100mn deal to acquire the Speciality Steels division of Tata Steel UK, protecting the jobs of 1,700 existing staff at three major sites at Rotherham, Stocksbridge and Brinsworth in South Yorkshire, smaller sites in Bolton, Lancashire and Wednesbury in the West Midlands, and two distribution centres in China. It also announced expansion plans expected to generate an additional 300 production jobs in the business. Speciality Steels produces a range of high-value steels used in the manufacture of vehicles, aircraft, industrial machinery and equipment for the oil and gas industry. Liberty said it would invest up to £20mn in new plant and equipment in the first year alone to boost competitiveness and secure

The company claims to now have the largest arc furnace capacity in the UK

In addition, the business will grow its position in the aerospace markets, utilising recent capital investments at Stocksbridge and investing in additional capacity and new technology. The acquisition marks a major step forward for Liberty’s Greensteel strategy as it gives the group the largest arc furnace capacity in the UK, a key component in its plan to increase low-carbon steel production based on recycling metal in furnaces powered by renewable energy. As part of the Greensteel strategy, sister company SIMEC is actively considering investment in bio-diesel power generation at Speciality Steel sites. Liberty House Group – UK Website: www.libertyhousegroup.com

international market leadership for the business, which is being re-launched as Liberty Speciality Steels. The business will increase output substantially at the electric arc furnaces, casting shop and bar mill in Rotherham, with larger

plans across the wider Speciality business in the years ahead. Production from the arc furnaces is expected to rise to over one million tonnes per annum, and there are plans for the bar mill to roll over 400,000 tonnes per year.

Precision components are made at Liberty’s advanced machining centre

Supplying ERW mill lines NAKATA Mfg Co, together with Mitsubishi Corporation, has been selected as the supplier of two ERW mill lines to Vyksa Steel Works (VSW), a Russian steel top pipe maker, for maximum outer diameters of 177.8mm (7") and 245mm (10").

highly evaluated pipes and reliable weld quality. 50 sets of FFX Mill lines have been installed in the last ten years. Nakata expects the carrying out of this project to strengthen its position in Russia.

Start-up of the 7" mill line is scheduled for the end of 2018, and the 10" line by the end of 2019. Vyksa’s new pipe lines are aimed at increasing productivity, and improving product quality and energy efficiency. Nakata believes it was awarded the supply contract because of its record of supplying a number of ERW pipe lines for diverse projects around the world, as well as its technical features with

Nakata Mfg Co Ltd – Japan Fax: +81 6 6303 1905 Email: sales@nakata-mfg.co.jp Website: www.nakata-mfg.co.jp

The project covers the setting up of all equipment from entry section to finishing section of the ERW pipe plant, including the Nakata patented FFX Mill system.

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JULY 2017