LIBERTY Steel Challenges UK’s reliance on imported steel reinforcing bar

LIBERTY Steel Challenges UK’s reliance on imported steel reinforcing bar

Ten months ago, LIBERTY Steel UK (LSUK) reviewed its product portfolio and identified that there was an opportunity to make sustainably-produced steel reinforcing bar (rebar) to enhance its product portfolio as well as fulfil a gap in the market which meant around 700kt was being imported due to lack of capacity, with Celsa being the only UK producer.

Just ten short months later, LSUK is set to ship its first orders of sustainably produced rebar after securing full CARES and sustainability approval this week.

Orders of nearly 10,000 tonnes will be delivered before the end of the year, building on LIBERTY’s strategy to supply GREENSTEEL components to UK construction and infrastructure projects and reduce the UK’s reliance on imported steel.

Following successful summer trials at LIBERTY Steel’s Thrybergh bar mill in Rotherham UK, LIBERTY started production of its ‘GreBar’ – reflecting its sustainable production from scrap metal melted in an electric arc furnace – in October.

Rebar is used as a tension device for reinforced concrete structures in major road, rail and construction projects. LIBERTY’s mill has the capability to produce rebar in sizes 25, 32, 40 and 50mm in Grade B500C, with plans to add 20mm to its offering.

On Friday 23rd October LSUK received the all-important CARES approval that will allow LSUK to sell rebar on the open market. CARES award Rosettes for Rebar suppliers and fabricators with higher sustainability accreditation achievements in addition to their normal “Pass” status and we were award one such rosette during our very first assessment.

CARES is an independent, not-for-profit certification body, established in 1983 to provide confidence to the users, purchasers and specifiers of constructional steels through a regime of regulation, testing and inspection.

LSUK is aiming to challenge the UK’s current reliance on imported rebar and target future infrastructure projects. Half of the 1.2 million tonnes of rebar used annually in the UK is sourced from abroad while the HS2 rail project will require significant amounts of rebar. Upgrades and replacement of existing residential and transport infrastructure will also fuel future demand.

LSUK have identified and made contact with all the major fabricators in the UK and have secured 10kt of orders for delivery in the next two months.

All of this was achieved with the business operating under the restrictions of COVID and the commercial pressures that all steel manufacturing is experiencing.

LIBERTY’s Rotherham mill will ramp up production of GreBar over the coming months, with ultimate capacity to reach 300,000 tonnes per annum.

This has been a great achievement by the team (some of whom are pictured below) and something that LSUK can celebrate as they start the journey to turn the business around.

Members of the Thrybergh Rolling Team involved in the successful rolling of 25 to 50mm GreBar prior to stop weeks (L-R):
Dean Spencer, Spencer Jessop, Darrell Storar, Phil Barker,
Oscar Garcia, Paul Kemp, David Green

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