Tata Steel is transforming its Corby steel tube making site in the UK’s East Midlands to give the business the best chance of a strong future.

Work has started at the 150-acre site which produces vital products for everything from sports stadium and iconic skyscrapers — such as the Shard in London — to hospital beds and renewable green energy schemes around the world. Workers at the site produce steel tube products from steel made at the company’s Port Talbot works.

The two-year investment project will see the creation of a single high-tech warehouse, the relocation and upgrading of the important rectangular hollow section (RHS) processing line and the cold mill (CFM). The relocation of the RHS and CFM processes will see improved efficiency and reduced energy consumption.

The construction of a single site warehouse within the East Works will lead to the closure of the South warehouse.

Manufacturing processes on the site will be brought closer together as part of the £25 million scheme which is being paid for in part with the sale of land freed up by the changes and savings from operational improvements, said the company.

Significant work is on to prepare the ground for the installation of a racked warehouse solution. Over the last couple of weeks the team have been working with contractors to break ground, which is the first element of a 14-week programme to prepare the flooring which will support 18,000 tonnes of finished tube product.

The new warehousing system will bring significant advantages to the current system — enabling the Tubes operation to rotate stock much more efficiently and reduce stock losses.

Sandip Biswas, Chairman, Tata Steel UK, said steel will continue to be an essential part of the UK’s plans to decarbonise for the future.

“We need to ensure we are able to make and supply the products right here in the UK which will help transition to a net-zero future,” he added

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