Wales’ steel industry received a boost today with news that the Welsh Government is providing just under £3m to help secure over 550 jobs in the sector.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Economy Secretary, Ken Skates confirmed that the Welsh Government had invested £2.8m to help create 90 new steel jobs in Wales and safeguard a further 477.
Ken Skates said the investment at Code Serve in Brynmawr, Dyfed Steels in Llanelli, Express Reinforcements in Neath and Celsa Steel in Cardiff would help to secure a sustainable future for the Welsh steel industry.
The Economy Secretary said:
“The future of the steel industry and steel related businesses are hugely important to manufacturing in Wales.
“Indeed the steel sector is a key priority for the Welsh Government and I am delighted to announce support for four businesses that between them are investing £8.75m in new facilities, new equipment, expansion projects and environmental improvements in Wales.
“Together their and our investment will create 90 new jobs and safeguard a further 477 highly skilled jobs in Cardiff and the South Wales Valleys.
“The announcement of new jobs is of course always welcome, but at a time when the sector faces extremely difficult trading conditions and stiff global competition, the safeguarding of existing jobs is more important than ever to the sustainability of the sector and the growth of our economy.”
The Economy Secretary announce that Dyfed Steels - the largest independent steel stockholder and processor in Wales and the south west – is investing more than £4m in a new manufacturing facility.
The expansion is backed by £750,000 of Welsh Government support and will create 30 new jobs and safeguard more than 170 in Carmarthenshire.
The company are currently turning away a significant volume of business annually due to lack of capacity. They have identified expansion opportunities at their Llanelli site, rather than at another of their sites in England.
Meanwhile fifty new jobs are being created at Code Serve in Brynmawr following an expansion and relocation plan supported by funding from the Welsh Government.
Code Serve provides comprehensive and specialist fabrication and coded welding services nationwide as well as structural steelwork for major infrastructure projects around the UK.
The company has outgrown its current facility at the former AIC Steel site in Newport and is relocating to the former Tecweld building on Noble Square Industrial Estate in Brynmawr.
The £1m investment includes the purchase of new equipment and is backed by £400K from the Welsh Government’s Repayable Fund for SMEs.
Express Reinforcements in Neath, a company that specialises in the manufacturing and supply of steel reinforcement products for the construction sector, are investing £150,000 in bespoke machinery and IT hardware and soft ware to increase capacity.
The move will create and safeguard 22 jobs and has been supported by £65,000 from Welsh Government.
Finally the Welsh Government is providing £1.6m towards major environmental improvements at Celsa Manufacturing (UK)’s two key steel production sites in Cardiff.
The move will safeguard up to 280 jobs and support the growth and sustainability of the business.
Celsa Manufacturing (UK) is the UK’s largest manufacturer of steel reinforcement products with 100% of its output produced from recycled scrap. Across its two main sites in Cardiff, it directly employs 600 people, together with 194 full time contractors while its activities in Wales support around 3000 supply chain jobs.
The investment will help safeguard the future of around 280 jobs including employees, contract workers and supply chain personnel.