New Labour MP for Corby, Lee Barron visited Tata Steel’s tube-making site for the first time this week to witness first-hand the £30m of investments that include a brand new ‘combination’ tube mill, due to be completed shortly.
Along with Mr Barron were CEO of North Northamptonshire Council, Adele Wylie and Leader of the Council, Jason Smithers.
Mr Barron said: “I’ve heard some good plans in relation to the investment - it’s visible now and looks exciting.
The £30million Project Aurora has already seen the replacement of some gas furnaces in its stretch reduction mill, reducing CO2 by 7%, the installation of a brand new customer-focused warehousing facility, and the sale of redundant land which support the investment plan. The new state-of-the-art combination cold formed tube mill replaces two older mills and will increase the site’s product capability and capacity.
Mr Barron added: “It’s important that the future is secure and long term. The green agenda and the transition is essential – I think everyone recognizes that. We have to make sure we get the workforce, the government and Tata Steel all on the same side and get the sector the future it needs.
“We need a strategic plan, and industrial strategy for the sector – we need a steel sector in the UK and this government is serious about that, and I want to do what I can to support that here in Corby.
Councillor Smithers added: “It’s fantastic to see all this fabulous technology that’s being installed, which really cements the future of the steel industry in Corby. It’s great for the people of Corby, great for the wider economy and a vote of confidence in UK steel as a whole.
“A £30 million investment is really positive and I can feel the excitement from the staff here. It creates jobs for the long term and it modernizes the steel industry - it's a glowing investment in our area.”
Works Manager Gary Blackman said: “We love bringing people into our business to show off what we’re doing here. It’s the biggest investment here for at least a generation and is the basis for a very exciting future for Corby steelworks. It has been great to have such vocal support from both our local MP and the council for our plans going forward, and I very much look forward to working with them going forward.”
About Tata Steel UK
- The Tata Steel Group has been named one of the most ethical companies in the world, and is among the top producing global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 34 million tonnes.
- Tata Steel in the UK has the ambition to produce net-zero steel by 2045 at the latest, and to have reduced 30% of its CO2 emissions by 2030.
- Tata Steel is the largest steelmaker in the UK with primary steelmaking at Port Talbot in South Wales supporting manufacturing and distribution operations at sites across Wales, England and Northern Ireland as well as Norway, Sweden, France and Germany. It also benefits from a network of international sales offices around the world.
- Tata Steel employs more than 8,000 people and has an annual crude steel capacity of 5 million tonnes, supplying high-quality steel products to demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering.
- Tata Steel Group is one of the world's most geographically-diversified steel producers, with operations and a commercial presence across the world.
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