Tata Steel in negotiations to sell Long Products Europe business

The agreement includes a number of UK-based assets including the steelworks at Scunthorpe, mills in Teesside and Scotland, an engineering workshop in Workington and a rail consultancy in York, plus other operations in France and Germany.

Long Products Europe produces standard and differentiated products including sections, rails, wire rods, special profiles and plates for the rail, yellow goods, energy and construction sectors.

With approximately 6,500 employees, the Long Products business produces around three million tonnes and has the capacity to produce up to five million tonnes.

In a statement, Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel’s European operations, said: ‘We’ve improved the competitiveness of Tata Steel’s European operations, including Long Products Europe which now supplies more of the innovative steel rail, rod, plate, sections and special profile products demanded by customers.

‘Accelerating the pace of innovation on advanced steel solutions, helping our customers succeed in their markets and creating a sustainable asset base requires significant capital and expertise.