A very long timeline of steelmaking in Stocksbridge

The steelworks has been a big part of Stocksbridge for a very long time but in recent years trading difficulties have multiplied, leading to big job losses.
By David Walsh
Published 11th Mar 2021, 10:13 GMT
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Current owner Liberty Steel brought optimism back to the business - until the pandemic created a new crisis leading to fears for 5,000 jobs nationally.

Today it is part of the Speciality Steels division which employs 762 in Stocksbridge - supplying the aerospace, oil and gas and the general engineering markets - and 865 in Rotherham.

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1842 - Samuel Fox established a steelworks in a disused cotton mill in Stocksbridge, at that time a small settlement, and went on to build up much of the infrastructure

Ingot in the VAR furnace (Vacuum Arc Remelting) furnance at Liberty Speciality Steels Stocksbridge.Ingot in the VAR furnace (Vacuum Arc Remelting) furnance at Liberty Speciality Steels Stocksbridge.
Ingot in the VAR furnace (Vacuum Arc Remelting) furnance at Liberty Speciality Steels Stocksbridge.

1851 - The company developed the famous paragon umbrella frame

1860s - The Stocksbridge works includes furnaces and rolling mills

1877 - A railway line was built to link the steelworks with the wider region

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1918 - Samuel Fox & Co joined with several companies to form the United Steel Company

A worker preparing an ingot to go into the VAR furnace (Vacuum Arc Remelting) at Liberty Speciality Steels Stocksbridge.A worker preparing an ingot to go into the VAR furnace (Vacuum Arc Remelting) at Liberty Speciality Steels Stocksbridge.
A worker preparing an ingot to go into the VAR furnace (Vacuum Arc Remelting) at Liberty Speciality Steels Stocksbridge.

1967 - The works are nationalised into the British Steel Corporation and become ‘Stocksbridge Engineering Steels’

1999 - Taken over by Corus

2006 - Taken over by Indian company Tata

2009 - Big round of redundancies

2016 - 685+ redundancies

2017 – Tata sells entire UK steel business to Liberty for £100m

2018 - Liberty invests and announces plans to reopen mothballed furnaces

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2020 - 283 jobs in South Yorkshire axed – including 250 in Stocksbridge - axed due to ‘political uncertainty and Brexit’

2020 - Plans announced to invest £60m and double production in Rotherham

2021 (Feb) - reveals it has been forced to ‘manage the impact’ on jobs due to plummeting aircraft sales in the pandemic

2021 (March) - lender Greensill collapses into administration raising fears for entire 5,000 strong Liberty Steel UK business which includes 12 steel plants including in Rotherham, Stocksbridge, Newport and Hartlepool.

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A spokesman for steel unions – Community, Unite and GMB – said: “We have been encouraged by government’s commitment to taking on this challenge, and the growing consensus that to build back better and greener we need a strong and sustainable steel industry.

“No other UK company can produce the specialist steels made by Liberty’s UK operations.”

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Please take out a digital subscription or buy a paper.

Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.

Related topics:StocksbridgeLiberty Steel