Now secure future for Stocksbridge and Rotherham steel works, demand Sheffield region leaders after Forgemasters nationalisation move

Sheffield Forgemasters is one of the UK’s oldest steel plants and the Ministry of Defence announced plans on Wednesday morning to take over the company and invest £400m over the next 10 years.

Sheffield city region mayor Dan Jarvis this evening welcomed the recognition of the importance of steel to the economy, regionally and nationally, and its importance for UK defence.

He said: “Steel is synonymous with Sheffield and South Yorkshire and I have repeatedly raised the issue of securing the industry’s future with Government.

“While today’s announcement is most welcome, ministers also need to attend to the future of two of our other steel plants which hang in the balance, as a result of the crisis at Liberty Steel.

“The facilities at Stocksbridge and Rotherham have enormous potential, and I will continue to fight for the South Yorkshire steel industry and work to protect all the jobs and businesses they support.

“I’ll be meeting the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in the near future to discuss.”

Sheffield City Council leader, Coun Terry Fox described it as a positive move for Sheffield Forgemasters and for the city, and it was right that the Government was recognising its importance nationally and the need for significant investment.

He added: “This needs to be the first step of many though, we can’t forget the challenge Liberty Steel is going through right on our doorstep. We’ve already called on the Government to take action and we need clarity now on how they will put Sheffield first.”

Chairman of South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership James Muir described the Government’s action as fantastic news and testament to the unique manufacturing capabilities of Sheffield Forgemasters, the skills of the workforce and the quality of the management team, led by company chief executive David Bond.

He added: “We’re working with a pipeline of high-growth, high-value and investment-ready businesses in the region. This investment shows that public intervention done right can unlock jobs, growth and innovation. That’s our mission here in South Yorkshire.”

Local journalism holds the powerful to account and gives people a voice. Please take out a digital subscription or buy a paper. Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.