About the industry

Steel is vital to our everyday life. We depend on steel for housing and health. Without it there would be no offices or retail parks. It is at the root of the quality of life that each of us enjoys today, helping to shelter us, to feed us and to facilitate both our working and our leisure day.

Just about everything we use either contains steel or has been made using steel. Whether it is bolts or buildings, clothes or chemicals, food or fast cars, lamps or lemonade, all depend on steel at some point. Even industries producing other materials like glass, aluminium and plastics, all need steel.

• The UK steel industry makes a valuable contribution to the economy. In 1998 it contributed £2 billion to our balance of trade.
• The UK steel industry is modern, efficient and environmentally responsible. Over the last ten years, the UK steel industry invested more than £2 billion in new plant and innovation.
• Steel is the most recycled material in the world. More than 80% of scrap steel generated in the UK is recycled.

These pages are a resource to explain more about the UK Steel Industry. Here you can find out:

• How steel is made
• How it is used
• Fact and Figures about the industry
• About careers in the industry