Sanjeev Gupta’s Liberty Steel signs up to UK’s Build Back Better plan

With government backing for UK steel in procurement for major construction projects, a resurgent steel sector can deliver a new generation of industrial skills and jobs, he said.The programme is pegged to boost supply of sustainably-produced reinforcing bar GreBar for schools, hospitals, houses, energy facilities and transport links as part of the UK governments 100 billion pounds infrastructure spending plan.

British-Indian tycoon Sanjeev Gupta led Liberty Steel has committed to a programme of new investments of around 60 million pounds at its production hub in England as part of the UK government’s ''Build Back Better'' plan, aimed at a sustainable recovery from the coronavirus pandemic crisis. Liberty, part of the GFG Alliance group, said this week that its South Yorkshire Green Steel production hub at Rotherham will supply the transport, defence, and construction sectors. The investment plans are aimed at removing production bottlenecks at its electric arc furnace (N-Furnace) and small bloom caster in the region, helping the business to double existing steel output to 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). The company said it will launch a public tender to upgrade its N-Furnace for increased scrap steel melting, make upgrades to Thrybergh Bar Mill and install a new Rod Block to produce wire rod and de-bar in coil.

“Liberty’s programme of further investment in South Yorkshire is proof that the UK steel industry can deliver the low carbon infrastructure Britain needs to build back better,” said Gupta, Executive Chairman of GFG Alliance. “With government backing for UK steel in procurement for major construction projects, a resurgent steel sector can deliver a new generation of industrial skills and jobs,” he said.

The programme is pegged to boost supply of sustainably-produced reinforcing bar “GreBar” for schools, hospitals, houses, energy facilities and transport links as part of the UK government’s 100 billion pounds infrastructure spending plan. Liberty says the production increase will reduce the UK’s reliance on imported steel, helping to strengthen the UK supply chain and secure high-value jobs. The new initiatives follow the first shipments of GreBar from Thrybergh targeted at UK infrastructure projects such as HS2, or the new high-speed rail network. Liberty says it aims to partner with a rebar fabrication company onsite for GreBar production.

“We’ve already taken big strides by doubling production at Rotherham to 500,000 mt since we acquired the business, including the launch of sustainably-produced new components such as GreBar perfect for infrastructure projects like HS2,” said Jon Ferriman, Managing Director of Liberty Steel UK. “The investments we’re announcing today will now double production yet again and put us right on course to hit our target to produce one million tonnes a year at Rotherham. This is a truly exciting prospect for Rotherham which will guarantee its long term viability producing sustainable GreenSteel for the growing construction and engineering sectors in the UK,” he said.

Liberty Steel and Acenta Steel, part of the Aartee Group, have agreed a deal to combine their engineering bar divisions to deliver a stronger, more efficient high precision steel business supplying industrial customers. Liberty says the deal will create Aartee Bright Bar, a UK market leader in bright bar steel used for high quality components in the automotive, general engineering, hydraulics and yellow goods industries. The company said that Julian Schoch, existing Managing Director of the Liberty Engineering Bar division, will be Chief Executive of the combined business which will have operations in South Yorkshire and the Midlands regions of England.

Liberty Steel as part of the GFG Alliance, a collection of global businesses and investments owned by Sanjeev Gupta and his family. It is structured into three core industrial pillars of Liberty Steel Group, Alvance Aluminium Group and SIMEC Energy Group, employing 35,000 people across 10 countries.