On another momentous day in the history of UK steelmaking, a major milestone has been marked as Tata Steel UK has broken ground on a brand-new pickle line at its Port Talbot site – a vital part of its £1.25bn investment in pioneering, low-CO2 steelmaking.
The state-of-the-art asset will play a critical role in preparing steel for downstream processes, ensuring the business can continue serving a wide range of markets as it shifts towards cleaner, greener production.
Mills Programme Manager Andrew McGregor described the moment as a turning point.
“This is a fundamental asset that is required for us to have a sustainable UK business going forward,” he said.
“Our current assets are at the end of their operational life, and without this replacement pickle line, we wouldn’t be able to process many of the steels required for our downstream businesses and directly for our customers."
The pickle line, which cleans and prepares hot rolled steel before it moves into cold rolling and coating, is the unsung hero of steelmaking. Most of Tata Steel UK’s downstream operations such as Trostre (packaging), Llanwern (automotive) and Shotton (construction) rely on it.
Andrew paid tribute to the project team's spirit and determination: “It’s a testament to the an enormous amount of preparatory work that put in by the teams who have been busy redirecting services, diverting cables, cleaning and clearing the bay ready for the heavy demolition equipment to move in safely. Without their efforts, we wouldn’t be standing here ready to lay the foundations for this new line.”
The demolition phase has now begun, with crews – operating gigantic machinery – working their way through the bay. The old floor and ducting are being ripped out, ready for new foundations in April 2026. Once installed, they will carry the structural steelwork and, ultimately, the advanced processing equipment that will feed the UK’s downstream steel network.
For Port Talbot and Tata Steel UK, the project represents far more than new machinery. It is a symbol of renewal – the start of a new chapter for British steelmaking in a low-carbon future.
As Andrew put it: “This is a momentous day. It ensures we have the tools in place for a strong, sustainable business – not just today, but for generations to come.”
The groundbreaking reaffirms Tata Steel’s commitment to delivering long-term sustainability, strengthening UK industrial resilience, and ensuring Wales remains at the forefront of green steelmaking.
Read here about the contract with Clecim and ABB for supply of the new Pickle Line: Tata Steel takes another major step towards green steelmaking at Port Talbot | Tata Steel UK
Mr Pramod Agrawal, from the Tata Steel board of directors, cuts the ribbon to officially break ground on the new pickle line project. He is joined by (from left) Shankar Marar, Director Strategic Capex; Andrew McGregor, Mills Programme Manager; Rajesh Nair, CEO Tata Steel UK; and Parvatheesam Kanchinadham, Corporate Secretary and Chief Legal Officer (Corporate and Compliance) for Tata Steel.
The Port Talbot EAF will be one of the largest in the world, melting UK-sourced scrap steel to produce 3 million tonnes of steel per year. As part of Tata Steel UK’s broader decarbonisation strategy, the project also includes new ladle metallurgy facilities, infrastructure upgrades, and partnerships with leading technology providers such as Tenova, ABB, and Clecim.
Construction is being led by main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine, alongside a strong regional supply chain that includes Darlow Lloyd & Sons, Mii, Runtech, Wernick Buildings, Andrew Scott Ltd and Systems Group.
About Tata Steel UK
- The Tata Steel Group has been named one of the most ethical companies in the world, and is among the top producing global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 34 million tonnes.
Tata Steel in the UK has the ambition to produce net-zero steel by 2045 at the latest, and to have reduced 30% of its CO2 emissions by 2030. - In October 2024, Tata Steel ceased ironmaking at its Port Talbot site and temporarily paused steelmaking pending the construction of a 3.2Mtpa Electric Arc Furnace, due to be commissioned late in 2027 / early 2028. For that period, the business will import slab and hot rolled coil to support manufacturing and distribution operations at sites across Wales, England and Northern Ireland as well as Norway, Sweden, France, Germany and UAE. It also benefits from a network of sales offices around the world.
- Throughout 2024 Tata Steel UK has been undergoing a restructuring that will reduce the size of its workforce to around 5000 direct employees, supplying high-quality steel products to demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering.
- Tata Steel Group is one of the world's most geographically-diversified steel producers, with operations and a commercial presence across the world.
- The group recorded a consolidated turnover of around US$26 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2025.
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