News: Tata Steel raises speciality product prices following increased demand

Tata Steel is raising prices of its South Yorkshire-made engineering bar and aerospace products.

Tata Steel Speciality will increase base prices of its engineering bar products by up to 10% on all orders acknowledged for delivery from April 4. It will also increase base prices of aerospace products by 5% on all orders acknowledged for delivery from July 1.

The group raised prices for its aerospace products by between 4% and 10% in January in a move that was accepted by the industry.

The steel, predominantly stainless and low alloy grades, is used in landing gear and aircraft engines including the landing gear of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, as well as other latest generation aircraft.

Richard Bell, Commercial Manager at Tata Steel Speciality said: "We have been increasing production of engineering bar and aerospace steel products to meet rising demand levels throughout 2010.

"Supply chain inventories have returned to more normal levels following the economic downturn, and the recent demand increase is a result of end-users increasing their output."

Tata Steel Speciality has been a leading manufacturer of aerospace steels for more than 60 years and supplies special steels to aerospace component manufacturers around the world from the company's South Yorkshire sites at Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

Investment in 2005 saw the Rotherham site at Aldwarke become the focus for steel making, casting and rolling of specialist steels. The steel is manufactured at the Rotherham site before undergoing further refining at the Stocksbridge plant to improve the quality.

In November, Tata announced that it was investing £6.5m in new high-tech equipment at its Stocksbridge plant in South Yorkshire, safeguarding 2,000 jobs at Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

Ealrier this month, the Indian company announced that profits for the quarter ending December 31 were 112% higher than the profits in the same period last year.

Tata Steel Europe website

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News: Tata Steel's profit after tax doubles for the quarter

Tata Steel, the Indian company that operates sites in Rotherham has announced profits for the quarter ending December 31 that are 112% higher than the profits in the same period last year.

Results were largely positive for Tata Steel's European operations with turnover and EBITDA (earnings before tax) up for the nine months to the end of the December 2010. Turnover was $12bn in this period with EBITDA at $591m compared to a $670m loss in the same period last year.

Tata also announced their results for the three months to the end of December 2010. Sales were up 7.1% to $4bn but EBITDA of $88m was down 40.2% from the $148m in the same period last year due to higher raw material prices and lower deliveries.

During the quarter, the first under Dr Karl-Ulrich Köhler as MD & CEO, work progressed on the establishment of the new sector-focused sales and marketing teams that are a key element of Tata Steel's reinvigorated European strategy.

Also during the quarter, the company also announced two new research facilities in the UK and an investment of £6.5m in two new vacuum arc remelting furnaces and additional testing equipment at its Stocksbridge to assist in raising output of high-value aerospace steels. A move that will safeguard 2,000 jobs at Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

Dr Karl-Ulrich Köhler said: "Higher raw materials costs and seasonal factors adversely affected our December quarter. We are gearing up to meet continuing market challenges by reinvigorating our strategy. We have rebranded and refinanced our European operations and are introducing a new customer-centric organisational structure.

"International steel prices have been rising since the end of last year on the back of restocking and raw material cost increases, while in Europe there is an exportled recovery in certain major economies and sectors."

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News: New apprentices for Tata Steel

Tata Steel is searching for 16 engineering apprentices to start work at its South Yorkshire sites.

The new recruits will work across the at Tata Steel Speciality sites in Aldwarke, Brinsworth and Stocksbridge.

The new apprentices, who will start work in September, will study for nationally-recognised qualifications at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology, while spending the remainder of their time training alongside Tata Steel's engineering experts at the company's Stocksbridge-based training centre.

Mick Hood, HR Manager at Tata Steel Speciality, said: "Our apprentices represent the future of our business and we are looking for passionate, bright and dedicated people to join our apprentice programme in September.

"As a global company we offer many opportunities for apprentices who choose to work for us. There are many areas of work they can enter into throughout the company, making a career at Tata Steel exciting and dynamic."

In November 2010, Tata Steel Europe announced that it was investing £6.5m in new high-tech equipment at its Stocksbridge plant in South Yorkshire, to increase production of aerospace steels. A move that safeguarded 2,000 jobs at Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

In July 2010, the steelmaker announced plans to recruit 154 new workers for its South Yorkshire manufacturing operations and the resumption of apprentice and graduate recruitment.

Following a big restructure which saw the loss of 1,000 local jobs, Tata now employs almost 2,000 people at the Rotherham and Stocksbridge manufacturing plants, in addition to about 250 employees at our technology centre in Rotherham.

Tata Steel recruitment website
Tata Steel Speciality website

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News: Tata Steel Europe invests in South Yorkshire

Tata Steel Europe is investing £6.5m in new high-tech equipment at its Stocksbridge plant in South Yorkshire, to increase production of aerospace steels. A move that will safeguard 2,000 jobs at Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

Tata Steel Speciality has been a leading manufacturer of aerospace steels for more than 60 years and supplies special steels to aerospace component manufacturers around the world from the company's South Yorkshire sites at Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

Peter Hogg, Tata Steel Speciality's general manager, said: "This investment will make us stronger and help secure the jobs of 2,000 South Yorkshire steelworkers. It's a big confidence boost.

"As the demand for aerospace steel increases, it's vital we have the ability to increase our production of this highly technical and demanding product, which is used in aircraft landing gear, engines, wings and other safety-critical components.

"Customers want higher-quality, higher-strength and superior-performance steels. This investment demonstrates our commitment to continue supplying steel to the most demanding applications in the world."

Investment in 2005 saw the Rotherham site at Aldwarke become the focus for steel making, casting and rolling of specialist steels. The steel is manufactured at the Rotherham site before undergoing further refining at the Stocksbridge plant to improve the quality.

The steel, predominantly stainless and low alloy grades, is used in landing gear and aircraft engines including the landing gear of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, as well as other latest generation aircraft.

The company announced ealier in the month that the Speciality Steels business in South Yorkshire consolidated its return to profitability in the first half of 2011. Tata reported that the business has shown the benefits of a strategy that focuses on exceptional high-value products and sectors and that the proportion of high-value sales in the Speciality Steels portfolio has risen from 50% to 90%.

In July, the steelmaker announced plans to recruit 154 new workers for its South Yorkshire manufacturing operations and the resumption of apprentice and graduate recruitment.

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News: Tata Steel Europe profits in the first half

In their latest financial results, Tata Steel Europe, which includes the sites in Rotherham, has posted an increase in turnover and earnings despite weaker market conditions during the summer months.

Turnover at Tata Steel Europe Limited of $8 billion in the first half of the financial year was up 13% from the $7.12 billion in first half of 2010. EBITDA (earnings) of $501m in the first half were an increase of $1.3 billion from the loss of $813m posted in the first half of 2010. Liquid steel production and deliveries were also up on the same period last year.

Turnover in the second quarter was also up on figures announced for quarter 1 but EBITDA (earnings), production and deliveries were down over the summer months compared to the previous quarter.

The profitability in the first half of the year reflects the benefits of the cost saving and restructuring measures that were implemented during the financial crisis that saw Corus announce in 2009 that 1,100 jobs would be lost in Rotherham.

Tata Steel Europe will focus on costs as the economies of Europe continue their slow recovery in order to ensure these benefits are sustained in the event of weakness continuing or recurring in European steel markets.

Dr Karl-Ulrich Köhler, the new Tata Steel Europe MD & CEO, who took up his post in October, said: "The profitability of this first half, in Europe, is a tribute to the cost and restructuring measures implemented in response to the financial crisis and our discipline in securing these benefits as demand returns to the market.

"In September our lenders showed their confidence in the Group's future prospects by agreeing to a refinancing package to stabilise our debt arrangements. We now have a sound platform on which to strengthen our recovery and to develop our product and service differentiation initiatives. But, with an uncertain demand outlook in Europe, our operations also remain focused on cost control and stable manufacturing."

The company also announced that the Speciality Steels business in South Yorkshire also consolidated its return to profitability in the first half of 2011. The business has shown the benefits of a strategy that focuses on exceptional high-value products and sectors. The proportion of high-value sales in the Speciality Steels portfolio has risen from 50% to 90%.

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News: Tata Steel agrees refinancing of debt in Europe

As Corus sites in Rotherham start to be rebranded as Tata Steel, the owner Tata Steel UK Holdings, a 100% indirect subsidiary of Tata Steel Limited, has signed agreements for the refinancing of its debt in Europe.

The agreements are with a syndicate of 13 banks for a £3.53 billion loan and revolving credit facility which is intended to replace the current facilities entered into at the time of the acquisition of Corus in 2007.

The new facilities have been designed to achieve certain key financing and business objectives for the company and the new financing structure includes a five year loan of around £1.8 billion and a seven year loan of £1 billion. The revolving credit facilities for working capital have been increased to £690m.

In the last 18 months, Tata Steel Group has repaid significant debt equivalent to approximately £900m.

Kirby Adams, Tata Steel Europe MD & CEO, said: "Lenders to Tata Steel showed confidence by supporting the company's plans to weather the financial crisis.

"In the week that we have rebranded our European operations as Tata Steel, this refinancing agreement is an important sign of our banks' sustained confidence in our plans for the future.

"As I prepare to hand over the reins of Tata Steel Europe to Karl-Ulrich Köhler, it is very satisfying that another key strategic objective of the company – the securing of a sound and more favourable financing structure for the future – is being achieved."

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News: Corus starts transition to Tata Steel name

Corus sites in Rotherham are adopting Tata Steel as its new identity from this week.

The Tata Steel name and logo will begin to appear on the company's transactional documents, product deliveries, locations and vehicles. Not everything will change immediately, however, as the re-branding will be a gradual process.

Corus joined the Tata Steel family in April 2007 in a transaction that created one of the world's largest steelmakers, with a major presence in Europe as well as Asia.

The £6.2 billion deal was the largest Indian takeover of a foreign company. The combined group has an aggregate crude steel capacity of more than 28 million tonnes and approximately 80,000 employees across four continents.

Kirby Adams, MD & CEO of Tata Steel Europe, said: "The companies that comprise Tata Steel Europe have evolved over many decades from local to national to regional players.

"They now form part of one of the world's top ten steelmakers, with a wide product range, a relatively high degree of raw materials self-sufficiency and a global market reach from manufacturing sites across Europe and Asia.

"This is the right time to enter a new era under the Tata Steel name, now that we have successfully returned the company to profit following the global financial crisis.

"This brand migration will lead to the Tata Steel name becoming much more prominent and widely recognised across Europe and will reinforce our sense of belonging to the Tata Steel family."

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News: Corus increases aerospace steel prices

Corus Speciality Steels has increased transaction prices for its aerospace products by between 4% and 10% on orders acknowledged for delivery after 1 January 2011.


The price increase will apply to the full range of air melted and remelted products in ingot, slab, billet, bar and coil form, which are produced at the company's South Yorkshire sites at Rotherham and Stocksbridge.

Richard Lowe, Corus aerospace sales manager, said: "The demand for aerospace products has been increasing throughout the year, which has extended the lead times for materials.

"At the same time the outlook from aircraft manufacturers has improved. We are expecting production levels of large passenger jets, for instance, to increase from next year, which is already generating demand for raw material."

Corus has been a leading manufacturer of aerospace steels for more than 60 years and supplies special steels to aerospace component manufacturers around the world, especially in Europe, North America and South East Asia.

All Corus Speciality Steels material is produced via the Electric Arc (EAF) steelmaking route using high quality recycled metal. Investment in 2005 saw the Rotherham site at Aldwarke become the focus for steel making, casting and rolling of specialist steels.

The steel, predominantly stainless and low alloy grades, is used in some of the most demanding applications, including landing gear and aircraft engines. Corus supplies steel used in the landing gear of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, as well as other latest generation aircraft.

Customers which approve Corus systems and products include; Agusta Westland, Airbus, BAe Systems, Boeing Commercial Airplane, Bombardier, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Messier – Dowty, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and Smiths Industries.

In July, Corus announced plans to recruit 154 new workers for its South Yorkshire manufacturing operations and the resumption of apprentice and graduate recruitment.

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News: Latest financial results from Corus

In their latest financial results, Tata Steel Europe, which includes the Corus sites in Rotherham, has posted a rise in turnover but a drop in income for the quarter ended June 30.



Turnover rose by 4% on the previous quarter to $3.814m, a 16% increase on the same period last year. EBITDA was posted at $293m, a fall of 17% on the previous quarter but a world away from the $399m loss posted in the first quarter of last year.

The reduced income was as a result of the lower exchange rates because of the depreciation of the pound against the Indian rupee (Tata Steel Europe is part of the Indian-owned Tata Steel Group).

At Tata's European plants, production has risen by 37% on the previous quarter to 3.74m tonnes and market conditions were sufficiently strong for the company's sale prices to continue increasing.

The results also highlight that Tata Steel Europe has made rapid progress in developing a new operating model that will transform the company into a more integrated customer-focused business.

It also said that the cost saving and restructure programme that saw Corus announce in 2009 that 1,100 jobs would be lost in Rotherham, continues to accrue £350m in annual benefits.

As the company continued to bounce back, Corus last month announced plans to recruit 154 new workers for its South Yorkshire manufacturing operations and the resumption of apprentice and graduate recruitment.

Kirby Adams, managing director and chief executive officer of Tata Steel Europe, said: "In April to June the recovery of the European operations continued.

"Not only was there a $692 million turnaround in Corus's year-on-year EBIDTA performance, there was also significant improvements in revenue and capacity utilisation.

"This was the result of higher selling prices and the fact that the full impact of recent raw materials price rises on profitability had yet to be felt.

"European demand has improved in sectors like automotive and aerospace. However, the long-term sustainability of the recovery is highly dependent on future growth in the European construction sector."

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News: Corus invests in Speciality Steels and creates jobs in Rotherham

Steelmaker, Corus has announced plans to recruit 154 new workers for its South Yorkshire manufacturing operations and the resumption of apprentice and graduate recruitment.



Corus Speciality Steels is looking for 14 apprentices and seven graduates – the first time the business has recruited trainees since the downturn.

43 new workers are needed to support steel manufacturing and steel rolling operations in Rotherham.

Peter Hogg, Speciality Steels General Manager, said the recruitment of apprentices and graduates was a sign the business was committed to the future.

"Just over a year ago, I was explaining to people why the business was having to undergo a painful restructuring which led to the loss of more than 1,000 jobs. At the lowest point, our orders had shrunk to about a quarter of where they were.

"Since then we have been refocusing the business on supplying specialist steel products to the world's most demanding markets, like aerospace and energy exploration and generation. Now we are in a position where we are recovering so we can strengthen the business.

"Many of our products have extremely high technical and chemical specifications, and we need to train new people now to ensure we don’t have a skills shortage in the future. The recruitment of apprentices and graduates is an investment in the future of the business."

In April, Corus began recruiting 50 new workers on an agency basis to support its manufacturing operation in Rotherham.

Peter added: "We are hoping for similar levels of interest to the recruitment earlier this year when we received about 10 applications for every vacant position.

The 133 new workers who will support our operations will be recruited on an agency basis initially, but will be trained progressively into skilled steelworkers. If business conditions continue to improve I hope we'll be able to employ them directly at some point in the future."

When the latest recruitment drive has been completed, Corus will be employing almost 2,000 people at our Rotherham and Stocksbridge manufacturing plants, in addition to about 250 employees at our technology centre in Rotherham.

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News: Corus returns to profit

Tata Steel Europe including the Corus sites in Rotherham has enjoyed a dramatic turnaround in fortunes after reporting a £355m pre-tax profit for the second half of the 2009-10 financial year.

The Indian-owned company reported that this was mainly due to a stronger order book leading to higher capacity utilisation and lower costs.

The profit is compared to a loss of £562m that Corus Steel Europe reported for the first half of the financial year.

Kirby Adams, the chief executive officer and managing director, said: "I am pleased to report the decisive measures we have been taking to combat the 35 per cent slump in European steel demand last year have succeeded in dramatically improving the company's financial and safety performance.

"The employees of Tata Steel Europe deserve great credit for achieving growth in market share, a higher value-added mix, significant and lasting cost reductions and in quarter four, the first profit after tax, in 18 months.

"As we move into a 'one company business' model, ever greater opportunities lie ahead to improve business performance and win customer support."

As part of a restructure in 2009, Corus announced in Rotherham that 700 jobs would be lost in Rotherham with a further 400 announced in July.

With signs that more positive trading conditions were emerging, this April they recruited 50 staff on an agency basis to support its manufacturing operation in Rotherham.

Corus still employ more than 1,500 people at its Rotherham and Stocksbridge plants, as well as its Rotherham technology centre.

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News: Corus senses improvement in cooling methods

Expert metallurgists at Corus' Swinden Technology Centre in Rotherham are developing a scale model rolling mill to enable them to make more informed decisions with respect to cooling methods for different steel strip products.

The rolling mill, which is approximately one-eighth the size of a conventional full size rolling mill, will incorporate four infrared temperature sensors from Micro-Epsilon to measure process temperatures at various positions along the process line.

This will enable the simulation of different cooling techniques for various types and grades of steel.

Two of these sensors are already in position and have been used to measure temperatures on the high temperature rolling side. The other two sensors will be located on the cooling conveyor.

The process temperatures on the rolling side vary from 850 deg C up to 1,100 deg C, whilst temperatures on the cooling side are down to 600 deg C.

Temperature measurement data collected by the four temperature sensors is fed into the rolling mill's software program where it is used to model and simulate the different cooling methods for the steel strip.

The Research, Development & Technology department of Corus combines top class innovation with cutting edge technology to deliver "metals solutions" to Corus sites around the world.

Corus website
Rotherham

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News: Forging ahead in South Yorkshire

A ground-breaking programme piloted to help Corus workers in South Yorkshire cope with redundancy is being rolled out to other companies across the region in a bid to support employers during the economic downturn and recovery.

The Forging Ahead course, developed and delivered by Communitas was funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and European Social Fund (ESF) as part of the Government's national Response to Redundancy programme.

The course, initially developed as a five-day pilot programme, provides practical advice sessions on issues such as IT skills, mock interviews and CV advice, as well as dealing with the feelings and emotions around redundancy.

Since completing the course late last year, nine former Corus employees have got new jobs while over 30 have gone on to other training and support.

Now, the course has been adapted by the LSC and Communitas as a model for other sectors, and has already helped businesses across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Shaz Ghalib, Economic Development Manager at the LSC said: "Many of the people taking part in Forging Ahead had only ever worked at Corus. They had little experience of the basics of job hunting such as writing CVs, or interviews and many had only ever worked in male-dominated environments. The programme helped them be better prepared for work and equipped them with the right skills for jobs in sectors and industries where there are more opportunities.

"The programme is the result of a unique partnership between the LSC, unions and the employer. As well as the practical advice such as information about self employment, tax and careers, the course also looks at some of the emotional issues around redundancy. For many people it is a very difficult issue to deal with, often affecting confidence and self esteem."

John Guest from North Anston in Rotherham ended a 30-year career in steel manufacturing when he volunteered for redundancy from Stocksbridge. He said: "The course helped me realise that the future ahead is uncertain, but that I can choose and affect the outcome. Having identified future careers, I am now training to secure the type of career I want, preferably still in a large organisation, and perhaps outdoors and mobile.

"It also helped me deal with the fact that I am now no longer part of the 'society' where I worked. I had to come to terms with the fact that I wouldn't be seeing the people I had worked with for many years. It was a good forum to discuss these issues - it brought out a lot of different view points."

Michael Leahy OBE, General Secretary of the Community Union added: "It is regrettable that a course like Forging Ahead is necessary, but it is nevertheless a unique example of a trade union working together with key agencies to bring help to ordinary men and women in these difficult times. It underlines our approach which is to support members in their communities as well as in their workplaces."

Other organisations involved in supporting the course included Leeds City College, Yorkshire Forward, JobCentre Plus, Rotherham Investment & Development Office and Business Link.

Communitas website
Rotherham

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News: Corus set to take on 50 staff in Rotherham

Corus is looking to recruit 160 new workers over the coming months in South Yorkshire with 50 to support its manufacturing operation in Rotherham.

The steelmaker has also strengthened its sales expertise in the aerospace and energy sectors with additional account managers for its South Yorkshire-based Speciality Steels business.

Peter Hogg, Speciality Steels general manager said: "2009 was the toughest year in the European steel industry for over 60 years. We had to make major changes to our business to weather that storm.

"We refocused the South Yorkshire business on supplying our quality steel to customers in high-technology applications in markets such as aerospace, automotive and energy exploration and generation.

"There are signs that more positive trading conditions are emerging in some of the sectors we supply to and we are now strengthening the business to be in the best position to compete for new orders.

"The 160 new workers will be recruited on an agency basis initially, but will be trained progressively into skilled steelworkers. If business conditions continue to improve I hope we'll be able to employ them directly at some point in the future.

"We are also working closely with our sister plant in Teesside, which was recently mothballed in order to provide opportunities to transfer for the skilled steelworkers at risk there. It is important that we do what we can to retain as many skilled workers as possible."

As part of a restructure in 2009, Corus announced that 700 jobs would be lost in January with a further 400 announced in July. They still employ more than 1,500 people at its Rotherham and Stocksbridge plants, as well as its Rotherham technology centre.

Corus Speciality Steels supplies high technology steel to customers in the aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, power generation and renewable energy sectors.

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Rotherham

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News: Rotherham MP discusses unemployment figures and hopes of new jobs at Corus

Rotherham MP Denis MacShane has welcomed the modest fall in unemployment figures announced this week.

According to the Office of National Statistics there is a 7,000 drop in the ILO measure of unemployment, a 15,000 drop in the claimant count and a 7,600 drop in the youth claimant count.

In Rotherham, the total number of Jobseeker's Allowance fell by 18, the fourth consecutive month where the total number of claimants in Rotherham has fallen. This is in contrast to the large increases between October 2008 and March 2009.

MacShane said: "Britain under Labour and Gordon Brown's policy mix has done better than the United States and major EU countries in keeping people in jobs despite the closures and job losses following the economic crisis."

The MP was in town to speak to the Rotherham and Barnsley Chamber of Commerce and visit steelmaker, Corus.

He added: "I was pleased at recent meeting with top management of Corus in Rotherham that the firm may be looking to take on some workers in the course of 2010 providing the outlook for sales remains good. After the annus horriblis for Corus in South Yorkshire last year it is good that steel has a future in Rotherham despite the global pressure on steel in all advanced economies."

Speaking in the Commons, MacShane paid tribute to the cooperation between the Community steel union leadership in Rotherham and Corus managers which had resulted in local production surviving despite the very serious fears of closure last spring. He also praised the role of Peter Mandelson who came to visit Corus in the summer.

He told the house: "I must say that since his visit, things have turned around. We are now narrowly in the black and the unions have worked co-operatively with the management.

"Mr. Stuart Sansome, the leader of the Corus steelworkers, made a presentation to the Corus board with the local management, which showed partnership at work. Let us place it on the record that Lord Mandelson might help Britain's steel industry to have a future, which was far from certain this time last year."

Denis MacShane website
Rotherham

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News: Sensdata V-Belt Monitoring System

Rotherham firm Sensdata is tackling an industry-wide problem with a cost-effective monitoring system that enables the elimination of plant downtime, energy wastage and CO2 emissions.

Generally, the power developed by a standard electric motor is transferred to a load, for example, a fan, by connecting the motor to the fan by a V-belt, similar to the fan belt arrangement in a car engine.



The SensSlip V-Belt Monitoring System sees sensors attached to the rotating pulleys on a belt driven system, which monitor and determine the transmission system's running state. Live information on energy wastage, faults and slippage are then monitored and relayed to the operators.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, Sensdata worked with a team at Corus sites in South Yorkshire tasked with looking into production and energy management.

Corus' Stocksbridge site has a number of heat treatment furnaces, equipped with combustion air and fume extraction fans which are powered by large motors. They are fuelled by either natural gas or heavy fuel oil and all use V-belts.

Corus agreed to trial Sensdata's systems on the 80kW transmission drive, which was fitted to the exhaust fan for one of its two continuous reheating furnaces.

In just one sample period of monitoring the belt, over 4.3 days of continuous running, Sensdata confirmed that the transmission drive was only running at times at 82% efficiency. Accepted parameters within the industry are that V-belts should provide peak efficiency of between 95% and 98% when first installed.

This could equate to over £9,290 of energy wasted from just one V-belt drive system.

Chris Spenceley, energy services engineer at Corus, said: "We were expecting slippage between 3% and 20%. However we were surprised to see that we were getting up to 18% slippage without any other indication that the belts were not correctly adjusted.

"The staff at Sensdata has been great to work with. They came up with a great idea for a solution to an industry-wide problem. We found them to be flexible and responsive. They listened to our needs and adapted the monitoring system to meet them. We worked very well with Sensdata and are happy to continue working with them."

Sensdata website
Corus website
Rotherham

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News: Latest Corus financial results

Tata Steel, the owner of Corus, has posted a loss of 27.07 billion rupees ($584.6 million) in the July-September period, compared with a profit of 47.72 billion rupees a year earlier.



The results were affected by actions taken to restructure the business in Europe and especially in the UK were over 1,000 jobs were placed at risk at Corus sites in Rotherham.

The group also claimed that there was also an impact because of the absence in the UK of government-funded short-time work schemes.

Tata Steel Europe MD & CEO Mr. Kirby Adams said: "We took timely action during the exceptionally difficult first-half trading period, and I am pleased to report that the second half of this financial year will look entirely different.

"Steel demand in Europe and North America started to recover from exceptionally low levels during Q2. While we expect that trend to continue, the recovery remains fragile, particularly in the UK and in construction markets. But we believe that we are now over the worst in Europe and can look forward to a return to positive financial performance."

Recent press reports indicated that around 165 of the jobs at risk in South Yorkshire could be saved following a recent upturn in orders.

Corus website
Rotherham

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News: Corus unveils new product for renewable energy sector

Experts at Corus' research labs in Rotherham have helped to create a new high-quality steel product for the renewable energy market.

The researchers worked with Corus engineers in Scunthorpe and Skinningrove, Teesside to identify the exact processes needed to create the high-quality steel at the Skinningrove mill.

Corus Special Profiles has already secured five European orders so far for its steel product, which is used in the construction of wind towers.

The steel is manufactured in Scunthorpe and transported to Skinningrove where steelworkers reheat it to 1,250°C before rolling it into the desired shape, according to customers' requirements.

The end product - a bar of steel that typically measures 15 metres in length and weighs 4 tonnes - undergoes rigorous inspection and testing, including ultrasonic scans, to ensure it is free from defects.

The steel is then shipped to manufacturers of flanges, which are used to join sections of tubular steel in the construction of towers for wind turbines.

The demand for wind turbines is growing rapidly around the world and the market for this specialist steel product is thought to be worth almost £100m a year.

Chris Elliot, Corus director of product line management, said: "This is part of our strategy to capture the increasing value of fast-growing industrial sectors, in this case renewable energy.

"Our ambition is to be both supplier of choice for renewable energy customers and a key player in sustainable supply chains in this emerging sector."

Peter Gate, commercial manager for Corus Special Profiles, said: "There are only a handful of companies around the world capable of making this product."

Corus website
Rotherham

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News: Recognition for Rotherham apprentices

Rotherham metallurgy companies have recognised the achievements of their apprentices at the annual awards evening of Metskill - part of Semta, the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies.

The awards, which recognise the training and development achievements of companies and employees working in the metals sector, were presented by Stephen Tilsley, Chairman of Metskill and Darryl Lomas, a member of Metskill's Employer Services team at an event at the Cutler's Hall in Sheffield.

Reece Davy from Darron SBO was runner-up for the Craft Skills Award. Reece started his apprenticeship with Darron SBO in September 2006, demonstrating an aptitude for design, drawing and machining.

Darron SBO are part of the Schoeller Bleckman Group, and provide manufacturing services and drilling products to the oil and gas sectors.

Darron has an established engineering training school that recruits 5 apprentices a year. This is proving highly successful, so much so that competition for places on a Darron apprenticeship scheme is a prize worth winning and Darron has instigated its own apprenticeship performance award for their yearly intake.

Darron candidates receiving their certificates for completing their Advanced Apprenticeship in Engineering were – Ryan Bailey, Harry Clayton, Jack Culyer, Reece Davy, Kieron Fairchild, Liam Fox and Pat Whittaker.

Erica Gateley from Corus Long Products was a runner-up for the Career Development Award.

From Corus Long Products and collecting awards for completing there Advanced Apprenticeships in Metal Processing and Allied Operations were – Erica Gateley, Teri Leigh Gillespie, Dominic McIntosh, Jon McNair and Thomas Sharman.

Darron website
Corus website
Rotherham

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News: Special Metals Forum recognises industry excellence

The Special Metals Forum (SMF) held its inaugural annual awards dinner at the Mercure St Paul's Hotel in Sheffield this month. The dinner was attended by over 80 members of the Special Metals Forum and their guests.

The event, which was designed to celebrate the achievements of its members, included presentations to undergraduates on the Higher Level Skills Programme run by Rotherham-based NAMTEC. These undergraduates are being sponsored by regional companies including Newburgh Engineering and Corus in Rotherham.

Alastair Lang of NAMTEC, which runs the Special Metals Forum, explains: "This was a hugely successful and enjoyable event.

"We wanted to reward our members for their achievements over the past 12 months and to look to the future and celebrate the opportunities that exist for this region's metals industry on both a national and international level.

"We expect this event to become a prominent date in the Special Metals Forum calendar going forward."

The forum brings together the strengths, unique resources and capabilities of the special metals supply chain; producers, fabricators, component manufacturers and OEM's are all represented as well as research organisations and the wider academic community.

NAMTEC website
Rotherham

Images: specialmetalsforum.com

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