One year on: Full scale of Tata job losses revealed

IT is a year since the final blast furnace at Port Talbot was wound down for the final time.

- RUTH MOSALSKI

The Tata Steel plant in Port Talbot pictured on May 21, 2025

(MATTHEW HORWOOD)

While the two structures still stand proud on the skyline, it was a historic day, ending decades of primary steel making.

On September 30, 2024, blast furnace four - the final one operating at the vast site - was closed, ending 100 years of primary steel making and bringing with it thousands of job losses as the Indian steel giant which owns the site turns to a new way of steel making.

The company, with £500m UK Government funding, is moving to new electric arc furnace steel production, due to open by the end of 2027.

Work on changing the site for that is now ongoing.

Tata announced 2,800 job losses, with most being lost in Port Talbot.

A letter from economy secretary Rebecca Evans, rural affairs secretary Huw Irranca-Davies and culture minister Jack Sargeant, to a Senedd committee on September 18 has set out how many people have lost their jobs.