British producer 7 Steel is calling for political support for the sector a few days after Eluned Morgan, the first minister of the Welsh government, met with British politicians, according to Callanish.
In a statement, the company welcomes the call by the Welsh Government for urgent action to support domestic steel production.
It notes that domestic steel producers "continue to face global overcapacity, unstable trading conditions, and significantly higher costs for industrial electricity."
"To ensure long-term competitiveness, we need continuous trade protection and greater stability in energy prices, as well as clear commitments in the UK's upcoming Steel Strategy," it adds."This means that it is necessary to prioritize trade protection after June of this year and ensure the stability of energy prices in order to give domestic steel producers the protection and support they need for long-term security. This is what we hope to see in the UK's long-awaited strategy for the steel industry."
CEO Carles Rovira says: "We are pleased to see the First Minister of the Lywodrath Cymru/Wales government defending our industry, especially at such a critical time for all steel producers. The call for greater certainty, support and clarity is exactly what we need, both to protect our industry in its current form and to strengthen it in the future through continued investment in our processes and communities."
Earlier last week, Morgan noted in a written statement that the Strategy for the UK steel industry is likely to be published in March."The Welsh Government is calling for the strategy to be given the absolute top priority it deserves, and this publication should be made as a matter of the utmost urgency. The industry needs clarity, and our steelmakers need transparency and confidence."
She also called on the UK government to work with the EU and the US to conclude trade agreements with "our main partners" to protect domestic industry from "potential dumping."
"EU trade measures could have a major impact on the Welsh steel sector at a time when it is already under enormous trade pressure due to US tariffs and global overcapacity. The EU is our closest and strongest trading partner in the steel sector, and we have made it very clear to the UK government that we urgently need to see how convincing it is.
