UK Steel History

The History of Steel in the UK

Looking back to when was the  beginning of steel can be traced back to almost 4000 years ago, to the start of the Iron Age.  Steel proved to be the hardest, strongest and was more dependable than Bronze that had previously been the most widely used metal in weaponry and tools. Over the next few thousand years the dependance of Steel evolved with over 65% of all major appliances now compromising of steel. With Steel taking over from Iron it has not only taken over the construction and infrastructure sectors but transport and consumer goods too. In 1856 Henry Bessemer developed an effective way to use oxygen to reduce the carbon content of iron and the modern steel industry was born

When was the UK the number one steel manufacturer?

Before 1860 steel production was predominately used for manufacturing swords, tools and cutlery. The steel produced for this was expensive, it wasn’t until The Bessemer and Open Hearth process was introduced that the costs were cut dramatically. Sheffield became the centre of the UK steel industry and is still often referred to as the ‘Steel City’.

In the 19th Century the UK led the global industrial revolution and was the number one manufacturer of steel and iron. The UK Steel industry was thriving and dominated the world market.

In the second half of the century the rest of the world caught up and the UK saw a sharp and sudden decline in sales. The US took over as the global leaders and jobs in the UK were cut.

Why is the British industry struggling?

The British Industry is struggling because of the stiff competition from China which sells its steel more cheaply. The Steel industry in the UK has been in decline for sometime and recently there has been little government financial support.

Tata Steel cut 3000 jobs last year in the EU causing a massive blow to the Steel workforce. Tata said in its statement that their plans for the future included a proposed new way of working to boost productivity and reduce bureaucracy as well as a focus on increasing sales of higher-value steel products

History of Steel Traditional Estate Fencing

With the development of the blast furnaces in the 15th century wrought iron railings were manufactured. Early examples can still be found in churches and the us of wrought iron increased in popularity right up until the late 19th century.

The Victorians saw an increase of wealthy estate owners across the country and a growing trend of Estate Fencing. Lords and Ladies were drawn to the thin metal creating almost invisible graceful curves rolling into the large areas of parkland. Wrought and cast iron gates and railings soon became a common feature on Victorian terraced houses marking the boundaries and increasing security

What are the different grades of steel?

Steel is graded on different factors that can influence its properties and uses. The Steel grading standards are widely used by scientists, engineers, architects and government agencies to provide quality and consistency of materials. The provide a common language to communicate the properties

The different types of steel are as follows..

• Carbon Steels only contain trace amounts of elements besides carbon and iron. This group is the most common, accounting for 90% of steel production. Carbon Steel is divided into three subgroups depending on the amount of carbon in the metal: Low Carbon Steels/Mild Steels (up to 0.3% carbon), Medium Carbon Steels (0.3–0.6% carbon), and High Carbon Steels (more than 0.6% carbon).
• Alloy Steels contain alloying elements like nickel, copper, chromium, and/or aluminum. These additional elements are used to influence the metal’s strength, ductility, corrosion resistance, and machinability.
• Stainless Steels contain 10–20% chromium as their alloying element and are valued for their high corrosion resistance. These steels are commonly used in medical equipment, piping, cutting tools, and food processing equipment.
• Tool Steels make excellent cutting and drilling equipment as they contain tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt, and vanadium to increase heat resistance and durability.

Our 10 facts about Steel

• An average household appliance is made from about 65 per cent steel and an average computer is made from about 25 per cent steel.
• Steel is up to 1,000 times stronger than iron when in its purest form.
• Steel is one of the few metals that can be recycled from its purest form without losing any of its original strength
• We now have over 3,500 different grades of steel available,
• Steel is one of the primary materials used to create solar captures, hydropower systems and wind turbines.
• The Eiffel Tower is primarily made of Iron and Steel. Steel and iron expand when heated, the Eiffel Tower , is about 6 inches taller in the summer than the winter.
• China is the top producer of steel in the world, followed by India and then Japan
• The companies holding the largest market share in the Iron & Steel Manufacturing in the UK industry include British Steel Ltd, Tata Steel UK Limited and Celsa (UK) Holdings Ltd.
• Stainless steel gained its name largely from the fact that it is the most corrosion-resistant type of steel available today.
• The world’s largest steel mill is in Gwangyang, South Korea