Sheerness Steelworks

The UK Government approved an application to build a steelworks in North Kent in May 1968. The output from the plant was due to be {{convert|188,000|tonne}} per year, which was not seen as a threat to the operations of the nationalised British Steel.{{cite web |title=Steelworks, Thames Estuary - Hansard |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1969-03-31/debates/4a0c018d-c3e1-4b1a-9c05-a7114a917bec/SteelworksThamesEstuary |website=hansard.parliament.uk |accessdate=24 August 2018}} The steelworks was constructed on the site of a former dockyard,The dockyard had closed in 1960 with the loss of 700 jobs{{cite book |last1=Platt |first1=Len |title=Writing London and The Thames Estuary 1576–2016 |date=2016 |publisher=Brill Rodopi |location=Leiden |isbn=9789004346659 |page=121}} military port and hospital in Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent in 1971.{{cite web |title=Sheerness Dockyard and Sheerness Steel Works |url=https://kentrail.org.uk/sheerness%20steel.htm |website=kentrail.org.uk |accessdate=24 August 2018}} However, the full commissioning of the steelworks was not complete until March 1972,{{cite web |title=Former Thamesteel Site, Brielle Way, Sheerness, Kent |url=https://services.swale.gov.uk/meetings/documents/s6163/2.13%20Former%20Thanesteel%20Site%20Brielle%20Way%20Sheerness.pdf |website=services.swale.gov.uk |accessdate=24 August 2018 |page=145 }} and the plant was formally opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 8 November 1972.{{cite news |last1=Nurden |first1=John |title=End of an era as steel mill bites the dust |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/news/end-of-steel-mill-125109/ |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=Kent Online |date=4 May 2017}}

The Sheerness site made steel from scrap metal using the EAF method with scrap metal as opposed to the normal route which was to smelt iron ore and carbon in a Basic oxygen steelmaking (BOS) process, which at that time, over half of the world's steel plants did.{{cite news |last1=Nurden |first1=John |title=Memories of old steel works as demolition crew moves in |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/news/memories-of-old-steel-works-125604/ |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=Kent Online |date=12 May 2017}} Because of this, it was described as a "mini-mill" in contrast to the integrated steelworks at Ravenscraig, Port Talbot and Scunthorpe. The scrap metal was supplied by water-borne transport (from a scrapyard in Erith){{cite web |last1=Winch |first1=C |title=Kemsley SPN Regional Development Plan |url=https://library.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/library/en/RIIO/Asset_Management_Documents/Regional_Development_Plans/SPN/SPN_RDP_Kemsley.pdf |website=library.ukpowernetworks.co.uk |page=13 |date=March 2014}} or via inward rail transport, mostly south-eastern scrapyards (such as Ridham and some across London). In the latter stages of the steelworks (2003–2012), some of the scrap was sourced from areas out of the south-east such as Crossley's at Shipley and Thomson's scrapyard in Stockton-on-Tees.{{cite book |last1=Shannon |first1=Paul |title=Rail Freight Since 1968; Bulk Freight |date=2008 |publisher=Silver Link |location=Kettering |isbn=978-1-85794-299-6 |pages=79–99 |edition=1 |chapter=5. Metals}}

In 1980, the plant was picketed by steelworkers who were striking at British Steel plants, and in 1984, miners who were on the miners' strike picketed the plant because the Co-Steel workers had not downed tools to join them on strike as other steelworkers had. However, Co-Steel, a Canadian registered company, was an independent steel-making concern and not part of the then Nationalised British Steel.{{cite news |last1=Hermiston |first1=Roger |title=Reporting the pickets |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7924000/7924302.stm |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=BBC - Today |date=5 March 2009}}

The 1980s were an unsettled period for the steel industry and the Co-Steel management implemented changes to working practices and also persuaded all employees to become salaried staff as part of the company with a medical plan. In doing so, the whole plant became non-union by 1992.{{cite book |last1=Ahlbrandt |first1=Roger S |last2=Giarratani |first2=Frank |last3=Fruehan |first3=Richard J |title=The renaissance of American steel : lessons for managers in competitive industries |url=https://archive.org/details/renaissanceameri00ahlb |url-access=limited |date=1996 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=9780195108286 |page=[https://archive.org/details/renaissanceameri00ahlb/page/n125 111]}} This later led to picketing at the gates as union members accused the management of the plant of having a "Dickensian attitude" to its workers.{{cite news |last1=Clark |first1=Andrew |title=Trouble at mill gates as Kent steelworks converts its operatives into 'managers' |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=13 November 1998|id={{ProQuest|317117256}} }}

In December 1998, Allied Steel & Wire (ASW) made a bid to take over the Co-Steel plant so as to consolidate its power in the steel market in Europe.{{cite news |last1=Guerrara |first1=Francesco |title=Tough markets prompt ASW bid for rival Co-Steel |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/tough-markets-prompt-asw-bid-for-rival-co-steel-1193917.html |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=The Independent |date=22 December 1998}} The takeover was described by analysts as a reverse takeover as Co-Steel was in profit at the time of the takeover and ASW was in debt. This amalgamation was completed by April 1999 with Sheerness losing 160 out of its 580 jobs, one furnace and its rod mill.{{cite news |title=BBC News {{!}} The Company File {{!}} Steel jobs on the line |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_company_file/241795.stm |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=BBC News |date=24 December 1998}}{{cite news |title=BBC News {{!}} The Economy {{!}} Steel jobs to go |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_economy/328750.stm |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=BBC News |date=26 April 1999}} In 2002, ASW went into administration and was subsequently bought by a Spanish firm, Celsa. This led to 320 redundancies from the plant and a protracted battle for some to get their pension money back from the defunct ASW.{{cite news |title=Hope for new jobs at steelworks |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/3557102.stm |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=BBC News |date=12 August 2004}}The former ASW workers were granted £12 billion from the European Court of Justice after a five-year battle

In 2003, Thamesteel, a Saudi Arabian backed company, reopened the plant to produce steel billet and export it to the Middle-East. In January 2012, Thamesteel went into administration and the site later closed with the loss of 400 jobs.{{cite news |last1=Farrell |first1=Sean |title=How the UK steel crisis unfolded |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/20/how-the-uk-steel-crisis-unfolded |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=The Guardian |date=20 April 2016}} The plant had not produced any steel since November 2011.{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Tim |title=UK's Thamesteel goes into administration {{!}} Steel Times International |url=https://www.steeltimesint.com/news/view/uks-thamesteel-goes-into-administration |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=www.steeltimesint.com |date=26 January 2012}}

In 2016, Peel Ports, the owners of the site, had {{convert|32|acre}} of the former steelworks site demolished and remediated at a final cost of £37 million. The work was undertaken to enable Peel Ports to enhance their car import and export business through the port. The works included infilling of the former steelworks cooling ponds and adding new warehousing and an improved rail connection.{{cite news |last1=Morby |first1=Aaron |title=Sisk set for £37m Sheerness steelwork clear-up {{!}} Construction Enquirer |url=http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/04/24/sisk-set-for-37m-sheerness-steelwork-clear-up/ |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=www.constructionenquirer.com |date=24 August 2017}} In the same year, Liberty House announced its intention to lease the remainder of the site,{{cite news |last1=Tovey |first1=Alan |title=Vote of confidence in UK steel as Liberty plans to reopen Kent plant |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/10/14/vote-of-confidence-in-uk-steel-as-liberty-plans-reopening-plant/ |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=The Telegraph |date=14 October 2016}} as the rolling mill on site was capable of producing up to {{convert|750,000|tonne}} of rolled steel per year. Initial estimations were that the site would employ 60 people and possibly up to a further 40 employees if business was sufficient.{{cite news |last1=Pooler |first1=Michael |title=Liberty House to reopen Kent steel works |url=https://www.ft.com/content/ce392386-920b-11e6-a72e-b428cb934b78 |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=Financial Times |date=14 October 2016|url-access=subscription}} The Electric Arc Furnace on site was dismantled and taken to the Liberty Steel works at Newport in South Wales as this was far cheaper than having a new EAF built at Newport.{{cite news |last1=Tovey |first1=Alan |title=New steel jobs at risk as Liberty balks at high energy costs |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/03/05/new-steel-jobs-at-risk-as-liberty-balks-at-high-energy-costs/ |accessdate=24 August 2018 |work=The Telegraph |date=5 March 2016}}

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• [https://www.kentrail.org.uk/Sheerness%20steel_track_plan.htm Diagram of the site on the kentrail website]

{{Steel plants in the United Kingdom}}

Category:Ironworks and steelworks in England

Category:Economy of Kent

Category:History of Kent

Category:Manufacturing plants in England