Sheffield Forgemasters: 900 new jobs in £420m boost for nuclear work at steel firm

The Brightside steelmaker is to benefit from funding to boost the civil and defence nuclear sectors.

It is on top of £900m investment into the Ministry of Defence-owned company, the government says.

It was announced as part of billions for nuclear in the Spending Review, including £14.2 billion to build Sizewell C nuclear power plant, and money for small modular nuclear reactors and fusion energy.

On Monday, defence secretary and Rotherham MP, John Healey, hosted NATO secretary general, Mark Rutte, on a tour of Forgemasters.

The firm makes components for nuclear-powered submarines and has £200m of contracts under the AUKUS programme.

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It is also set to restart manufacturing for artillery gun barrels, the first time they have been produced by the UK in decades. And it supports equipment supplied to Ukraine, such as L119 Light Guns and the AS90 self-propelled gun.

NATO secretary general, Mark Rutte said: “The renewal of the UK’s defence industry will not only enhance Allied security but boost national prosperity as well. It is a vital component in ensuring warfighting readiness.

“The United Kingdom has a rich heritage in manufacturing and innovation, and Sheffield Forgemasters is an excellent example of this. Harnessing this legacy will be critical to enabling NATO to effectively deter and defend against future threats.”

Defence secretary, John Healey said Forgemasters was “at the heart” of a drive to shift the defence industry to “warfighting readiness.”

He added: “It was a pleasure to tour its factory with the NATO Secretary General, where we discussed this government’s plan to put NATO first as we deliver on our landmark Strategic Defence Review.

“NATO is critical to UK security and global security, which is why we are stepping up to lead in Europe, investing in powerful new technologies to support growth and boost our national security.”