British Steel plans to close two blast furnaces and steelmaking operations

"Job losses are devastating for anyone, but particularly in a community like Scunthorpe that relies heavily on the steelmaking industry. It did not have to be this way. While steel production in the UK has been declining since the 1970s, long before climate commitments, China has been ramping up its production and undercutting other manufacturers across the world. A phased transition to the steel industry of the future, including hydrogen, could have kept these jobs in communities that need them. 
 
Clearly, we cannot afford to stick to the status quo. The EU recently published its Steel Action Plan and countries like the US are making moves to ensure they have a steel industry thats able to go green as the rest of the economy does. Many in Scunthorpe will be worried about their jobs, wondering what our long-term plan is, and whether we'll be able to compete with the rest of the world for this industry of the future."

Notes to editors:

1. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/27/british-steel-scunthorpe-blast-furnaces-closure-plans-job-risk

For more information or for interview requests:

Jess Ralston, Head of Energy, ECIU, Tel: 07972 548503, email: jess.ralston@eciu.net