Tata Steel UK is getting ready to install some of the first major components of its £1.25bn electric arc furnace (EAF) at Port Talbot, and one of them is being made in Britain from British-supplied steel. Here’s a quick look at the story and what it says about the UK steel supply chain.

What’s happening at Port Talbot

According to Tata Steel UK, Newport-based Braithwaite Engineers is producing a 200-cubic-metre emergency water tank that will sit on top of a 50-metre tower at the Port Talbot site. Braithwaite is working alongside PERT, the Italian engineering company delivering the furnace’s water systems, including tanks, pumping equipment and associated infrastructure.

The tank is part of the new furnace’s cooling system. Its job is to keep cooling water flowing to the furnace if the main water supply is interrupted. Tata Steel says it will be among the first major components installed as construction progresses, and preparatory civil engineering works are already under way.

A few details stand out for anyone who buys or makes steel parts:

• The tank is made from five and six-millimetre steel supplied through Tata Steel’s local operations.
• It’s galvanised in Newport, then returned to Braithwaite for packing and delivery.
• It’s built as individual panels rather than one big structure, so it can be transported efficiently and assembled on site. As Braithwaite’s managing director put it, it’s “flat-packed”.

Tata Steel says the project shows how international engineering and local manufacturing are coming together to support its move to lower-CO₂ steelmaking.

What it means for UK manufacturers and steel part buyers

Big projects like this are a reminder that the UK still has the skills and capacity to make serious steelwork close to where it’s needed. For buyers of steel parts, there are a few practical lessons:

• Design for transport and site assembly. Breaking a large item into flat panels or sub-assemblies can make it far easier to move, handle and fit, which is exactly the approach used on this tank.
• Keep the supply chain short. Material, processing, finishing and delivery happening close together means fewer handovers and simpler logistics.
• Get the details right early. Panel-built steelwork relies on accurate cutting and folding so everything lines up when it’s assembled on site.

UK-made in Shaw, Oldham

At Kaizen Engineering we laser cut, fold on our CNC press brake and fabricate made-to-order steel parts at our works in Shaw, Oldham. From flat panels and brackets to welded frames and sub-assemblies, we can take a part from drawing to finished item under one roof. We offer same-day quotes and same-day laser cutting, so you can get a firm price fast and get parts moving.

We supply large manufacturers with repeat and contract work, and smaller firms who need a one-off, a short batch or an urgent replacement. Find out more about our steel fabrication and laser cutting services.

Send us your drawing

Email your drawing to sales@kaizen-eng.com with the material, thickness and quantity, and we’ll come back with a quote the same day.

Kaizen Engineering, Thomas Street, Shaw, Oldham OL2 8PG
Made Up North. Built to Last.

Sources

• Tata Steel UK, “Newport manufacturer supports Tata Steel UK’s Electric Arc Furnace transformation” (19 October 2026): tatasteeluk.com
• Furnaces International, “Tata Steel prepares for £1.25 billion electric furnace” (21 October 2026): furnaces-international.com