Sir Robert McAlpine appointed contractor for £1.25bn steelworks investment

The facility is expected to produce around three million tonnes of steel per year (Photo: Sir Robert McAlpine)

Sir Robert McAlpine will oversee the main civil, structural, and building works required for a new electric arc furnace-based steel production facility. The facility is expected to produce around three million tonnes of steel per year.

The project involves constructing a new electric arc furnace, ladle furnaces, and other associated structures, all within the existing Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) plant and its surrounding areas. Scheduled to span a three-year construction period, the project will begin with enabling works in Q1 2025, followed by the main civil, structural, and building works in Q3 2025, subject to planning approval.

Both Sir Robert McAlpine and Tata Steel UK will work with the local workforce, including secondary and higher education institutions, to facilitate training and skills development. 

Craig Allen, managing director of industrial at Sir Robert McAlpine, said, “We are proud to be part of the decarbonisation of Port Talbot steelworks, which will play a pivotal role in turning the Port Talbot site into a world-leading hub for sustainable steel production. Our robust relationship with Tata Steel UK and long-standing industrial expertise makes us the ideal partner for this transformation. We look forward to working collaboratively, as part of a fully Integrated Project Team, to deliver the project successfully.”

Tata Steel’s EAF Project Lead, Peter Jones, added, “We’re delighted to confirm the appointment of Sir Robert McAlpine to support us on this once-in-a-generation investment project. Our new arc furnace will be one of the largest and most sophisticated of its kind in the world, so it is important that we work with highly skilled and experienced partners to ensure its success.

“We have a longstanding and trusted collaborative relationship with Sir Robert McAlpine, so are confident they are the right partner for us in the project.”