Two years after the last blast furnace at Port Talbot's Tata Steel plant shut down, the south Wales town continues to deal with the closure. The 2024 shutdown, which followed over 100 years of operation, led to the loss of nearly 3,000 jobs.
The transition has been challenging, affecting supply chain workers and local businesses. A new exhibition, 'Steeling Ourselves', created by photographer Jon Pountney, is now telling the story of the closure and its aftermath through photography and interviews with residents.
The exhibition, displayed at the Plaza community hub, is part of 'After the End', a research project by Exeter, Oxford, and Liverpool John Moores universities. This project aims to understand how communities experience endings and transitions, contributing to discussions on the social impact of major industrial changes and regeneration strategies.
One resident, Margaret Heggett, 95, who had family working at the steelworks, noted the significant impact on the town, stating, "it’s affected the town a lot and it’s very sad." Interviewees often described an "eerie" silence after the blast furnaces ceased operation.
Professor Patricia Kingori, lead researcher for 'After the End', highlighted that the exhibition is rooted in the experiences of those affected by the "ending" and what can be learned from them. She suggested that the conversations happening in Port Talbot could be relevant to other communities facing similar industrial changes.
Tata Steel is reportedly transitioning to an electric arc furnace, though this project has faced delays and is expected to employ a smaller workforce than before.