Public Procurement of Steel: Time for new thinking for a thriving industry
26 November 2024: This report provides a policy blueprint for the Government’s procurement in the imminent Steel Strategy. However, the latest data reveals that one third of the steel it procures is imported, costing UK taxpayers £1.5 billion annually rather than supporting UK steel producers. Over the next decade, government steel requirements will exceed £4.3 billion without even accounting for major initiatives such as carbon capture and storage, hydrogen infrastructure, nuclear energy, and offshore wind.
7 October 2024: UK Steel's new report on steel trade says that excess steel capacity worldwide, built due to non-market forces such as state subsidies, could easily cancel out the UK Government’s steel investments if not taken seriously and tackled with new bold trade policies.
2 September 2024: As the steel industry aims to fully electrify through investment in new additional electric arc furnaces, electricity prices become even more crucial to the industry’s competitiveness, profitability, and future. UK steel producers pay up to 50% more than competitors in France and Germany, adding £37 million to UK steel electricity costs. The price disparity is predominantly driven by higher UK wholesale costs and partly greater network charges.
10 June 2024: Deliver Competitiveness. Futureproof our steel sector. UK Steel’s election manifesto sets out a comprehensive strategy to secure the sector for the good of the country and to put steel front and centre of the political conversation.
31 May 2024: The UK Steel Key Statistics Guide 2024 provides up to date, at-a-glance information illustrating the scale of the economic contribution of the steel sector to the UK's economy.
2 May 2024: UK Steel has identified a crucial opportunity to develop the industry-Government relationship with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and secure the strategic supply of UK-made steel for the defence sector.
18 April 2024: In its new CBAM report, UK Steel sets out twelve crucial design principles for guaranteeing a robust policy with minimal risk of circumvention, strong carbon leakage protection, and simplicity. A key recommendation includes bringing the UK CBAM forward to 2026, in line with the EU, to minimise the risk of trade barriers and trade diversion.
9 April 2024: An overview of the sites of UK Steel members across the UK, the impressive range of products made by them, and the value they provide to the UK economy. This is a snapshot of a highly developed and modern steel industry, investing in its future to ensure a sustainable supply of high quality, net-zero steel products for the UK economy.
21 February 2024: The UK steel safeguards are due to expire in June 2024, and UK Steel's fact sheet explores why steel safeguards exist in the UK and why these should remain in place until June 2026. Steel safeguards remain necessary to shield the UK from rising global excess capacity and the inevitable trade diversion resulting from US Section 232 tariffs and the EU’s own safeguards.
Electric Arc Furnaces: The UK steel industry and the green transition
25 January 2024: EAF technology can produce all steel products and grades by managing the raw material mix, such as high-quality scrap, and mixing pig-iron or Direct Reduced Iron. This briefing below explores questions on G20 steelmaking, electric arc furnace products, and hydrogen-based steel production.
Steel Scrap: A strategic raw material for Net Zero steel
4 December 2023: The steel sector will undergo a radical transformation in the coming decades in the journey to Net Zero and scrap will be at the heart of it. Government has a key role to play in ensuring we future-proof industry’s access to scrap steel, improving the quality and availability of high grades, while taking responsibility for our environmental obligations. Steel is key for a sustainable world. Find out more here.
Industrial Competitiveness: Electricity prices faced by UK steelmakers
13 November 2023: After the two landmark declarations by UK steelmakers, Tata Steel and British Steel, that they will invest in electric arc furnace technology, competitive electricity prices become even more important. UK Steel welcomes the sector’s vision for new, modern steelmaking, but to maximise the value of these investments the industry will need affordable electricity supplies. Sustainable production has to include reasonable prices. Find out more here.
Essential policies Government can deliver for the UK steel sector
4 October 2023: The UK steel sector is at a critical crossroads and the next decade will determine its future. The next Government will have a real opportunity to enable the transformation and futureproofing of the sector by providing a competitive business environment and jumpstarting its decarbonisation journey. Find out more about the Uk government and their steel commitments here.
2 October 2023: UK Steel launches a new publication demonstrating the importance of steel within a resilient, low-carbon economy. Steel is a key driver of economic growth and supply chain resilience, central to the UK’s decarbonisation journey and the UK is in a prime position to lead green steelmaking as one of the largest scrap suppliers in the world. UK Steel showcase the impact and importance of steel to a global audience.
5 September 2023: The UK Steel Charter is a commitment that shows how you are changing procurement processes to include more UK-made steel and support the economy. This Charter enables government departments, devolved administrations, local authorities, and private organisations, to publicly signal their commitment to using UK steel in major projects, for a better economy, environment and future.
12 May 2023: The UK Steel Key Statistics Guide 2023 provides up to date, at-a-glance information illustrating the scale of the economic contribution of the steel sector to the UK's economy.
18 January 2023: An overview of the UK's steel manufacturing companies, sites, products and value. The UK steel industry is a world class industry supporting world class manufacturing.
July 2022: To create a Net Zero steel sector in the UK and meet Government targets, this report from UK Steel calls for a renewed focus on establishing a supportive business environment for steelmaking.