In an email sent to staff, Tata UK’s chief executive admitted it would be a “difficult day” of “great emotion and reflection”.
The UK’s biggest steelworks will cease production today after more than 100 years, leading to thousands of job losses across South Wales.
Blast Furnace 4 – the final furnace operating at Tata Steel’s plant in Port Talbot – will be fully shut down at about 5pm, with the last steel made late on Monday evening.
In an email sent to staff and seen by Sky News, Tata UK’s chief executive Rajesh Nair admitted it would be a “difficult day” of “great emotion and reflection”.
Tata Steel is replacing the furnace with a greener electric arc furnace which will use UK-sourced scrap steel, but that will not be operational until 2028.
The transition will cost £1.25bn, £500m of which is being paid by the British government and will lead to nearly 3,000 job losses, almost 75% of the workforce.
Unions have battled for months to push back the furnace closure and reduce the number of redundancies.
Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of the Community Union which represents most steelworkers at Port Talbot, said it was an “incredibly sad and poignant day” for the British steel industry.
“It’s also a moment of huge frustration – it simply didn’t have to be this way.”
“Last year Community and GMB published a credible alternative plan for Port Talbot which would have ensured a fair transition to green steelmaking and prevented compulsory redundancies. Tata’s decision to reject that plan will go down as an historic missed opportunity,” he added.
In an email sent to staff last Friday, Tata UK’s chief executive Rajesh Nair said: “Port Talbot has long been associated with the iron and steel industry and the closure of our heavy end operations will be a hugely significant and emotional day for employees – past and present – contractor partners, and the local community.
“While it will of course be a difficult day, it is a necessary step as we transition to a green steel future and secure the legacy of steelmaking at Port Talbot for future generations.”