Workers at Tata Steel's Llanwern plant have been placed on lighter duties following a rise in cheap imported steel, according to Andrew Gutteridge, Community Union president and a long-serving employee. Tata Steel confirmed that the changes are having a significant impact on its business.
Mr Gutteridge stated that substantial increases in galvanised steel imports from Vietnam, South Korea, and India have occurred since July. This has reportedly reduced Llanwern's UK market share to 25%, leading to significant downtime for production lines.
The UK government introduced measures to balance protecting domestic production with maintaining a secure supply. These measures included changes to tariffs on foreign steel, with some imported products now subject to quotas and taxes. The government announced its steel strategy in June, aiming to boost domestic steel production.
Concerns have been raised about the impact these new steel taxes could have on manufacturing and engineering companies. The UK government said it would continue to monitor the impact closely and review the measures after 12 months.