Steel production restarts at Yorkshire Liberty Steel site

Operations at Rotherham are scheduled to run between 11pm and 6am when energy costs will be lower. The site produces sustainably produced steel for growth markets such as infrastructure and high value engineering and is among the UK’s most electro-intensive industrial sites.

Liberty’s speciality steel division in nearby Stocksbridge, which produces steel components for demanding aerospace and energy applications, is also restarting production campaigns for key customers.

The restart, which Liberty plans to reach 50,000 tonnes per month as soon as possible, follows a £50m funding injection from its parent company, GFG Alliance, part of GFG’s restructuring and transformation drive following the collapse of its main lender, Greensill Capital.

The firm said that the injection sets a stable platform for the full refinancing of Liberty's operations.

Liberty plans to expand the Rotherham plant’s long term capacity, ultimately creating a two million tonnes per year Greensteel hub with increased employment and new products.

Rotherham will supply Liberty’s downstream mills at Thrybergh and Scunthorpe which manufacture products for infrastructure, automotive and other sectors.

Liberty Steel UK’s chief executive, Subhajit Roy Chowdhury, said: “As Liberty Steel UK ramps up, we’re showing our commitment to make South Yorkshire a UK Greensteel hub.

"Liberty is determined to support the Government’s drive towards a net zero economy and to make the decarbonisation of the UK steel industry a reality. We are committed to supporting the UK’s infrastructure growth plan.”