Tata Steel Europe, the European unit of the India-based steel giant Tata Steel, has announced that it has started a project to extend the operational life of its blast furnace (BF) No. 5 at the Port Talbot site in the UK.
The company stated that the modernization project will extend the life of the blast furnace No. 5, which has been running for the past 15 years, by five to seven years. The project, costing tens of millions of pounds and expected to take several months, will also see the waste gas and dust extraction system being replaced.
According to the company’s statement, the life extension project is a critical part of its long-term strategy to strengthen its operations in the UK and will underpin improvements throughout its UK supply chain.
Bimlendra Jha, CEO of Tata Steel’s UK business, stated that this is the biggest single investment they have made at the Port Talbot site for more than five years and demonstrates their commitment to building a stronger and more sustainable steelmaking business in the UK now and in the future.