Recent weeks have seen a number of announcements from some of the UK’s leading steel producers and suppliers. Undoubtedly the impact upon the effected companies, their respective supply chains and principally the employees involved is devastating but how these developments will impact the structural steelwork market in the UK has not been reported in a balanced manner.
The global over supply of steel, combined with insufficient demand from outside the UK has resulted in an oversupply of some types of steel within the UK. The positive economic environment in the UK has resulted in some global steel producers either entering the UK market or looking to supply additional volumes of some types of commoditised steel.
The recent announcements from SSI, Caparo and TATA relate to specific steel products and it should be noted that there has been no impact upon the sections products that are used within the construction industry. The global supply of sections products is unaffected and no impact has been noted or indeed is expected for the foreseeable future. Billingtons would like to reassure its customers that no effect is anticipated on current or pipeline projects.
The UK has a strong structural steelwork industry as a result of recognition of the many benefits of constructing in steel combined with the significant expertise within the industry. The quality of the UK production of steel sections is renowned as being amongst the best in the world and with production increasing in the UK of sections this shall ensure the preservation of the UK steel production market.
Billington procure the majority of steel for its projects from the UK’s primary steel producer, Tata Steel, whose structural sections production volumes and UK market share have in fact been increasing in recent months. No issues in supply have been, or indeed are anticipated.
Billingtons support the call for a level playing field in the UK as against foreign producers. The global reputation for quality of UK produced steel combined with a strong UK economy shall, over the longer term see the industry grow and prosper.
Sarah McCann-Bartlett, Director General of the British Constructional Steelwork Association, explains that the supply of UK structural steel has not been affected by these developments – http://www.infrastructure-intelligence.com/article/oct-2015/supply-uk-structural-steelwork-assured-says-steel-construction-body
