Displaying items by tag: industry

A critical shipment of raw materials has arrived in the UK to keep British Steel’s blast furnaces in Scunthorpe operational. Following the breakdown of talks with Chinese owner Jingye, the UK government intervened, securing coking coal and iron ore from the US and Australia to prevent furnace shutdowns and potential irreparable damage. This action has brought  'huge relief' to workers and offered renewed hope for the plant’s future. British Steel is the UK’s last producer of virgin steel - vital for national infrastructure, defence, and the economy. Nearly three thousand jobs were at stake, and the government passed emergency legislation to secure operations while working on future ownership plans. Concerns mounted when Jingye ceased raw material orders and began selling existing supplies. Government ministers and union leaders stress the strategic importance of maintaining domestic steel production. Meanwhile, tensions with Beijing have escalated, with warnings that foreign ownership of essential industries must be carefully scrutinised. As the furnaces stay lit, questions remain about long-term stability and national control over vital infrastructure.

The Government has offered to buy the critical raw materials - particularly coking coal - needed to keep British Steel’s blast furnaces running in Scunthorpe. Without this urgent purchase, steel production could halt within weeks and may not be restartable. The offer is directed to Chinese owner Jingye, which has deemed the plant financially unsustainable. Talks continue between British Steel and government officials, with ministers preferring a commercial solution but not ruling out nationalisation. One of the two furnaces, 'Bess,' is scheduled for temporary shutdown on 14 April to conserve remaining materials. The Government hopes to buy time for further negotiations, though frustrations with Jingye’s perceived withdrawal have grown. A new long-term partner may be sought. Unions warn of an 'extreme emergency' and are calling for nationalisation to protect 2,700 jobs and preserve UK steelmaking. A final decision must be made within days to secure new coal and iron ore supplies.

The Government has stated it will not immediately retaliate against the renewal of US steel and aluminium tariffs, instead opting for a measured approach. Trade minister Douglas Alexander emphasised the need for a 'cool and clear-headed' response rather than a knee-jerk reaction. The 25% tariffs, set to take effect from 12 March, are designed to reduce foreign imports and boost US steel production. While the UK only exports 10% of its steel to the US, certain specialist suppliers could face severe impacts; the tariffs could also lead to an influx of cheaper foreign steel into the UK, undercutting domestic manufacturers. In response, UK Steel and unions are urging the Government to increase domestic steel purchases and protect jobs. Other nations, including Canada and the EU, have condemned the tariffs and vowed retaliatory measures, while the UK remains committed to diplomatic engagement. Donald Trump, who imposed similar tariffs in 2018, has indicated no exemptions this time, except possibly for Australia.

Ford plans to eliminate 800 jobs in the UK as part of a broader restructuring of its European operations, citing 'lower-than-expected' demand for electric vehicles (EVs). Ford has to meet the Government's zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires 22% of car production to be zero-emission in 2024, rising to 80% by 2030. A ban on new petrol and diesel car sales will follow that year, with hybrids allowed until 2035. The financial penalties for exceeding non-ZEV limits - £15,000 per car - are adding pressure on manufacturers. Ford's EV chief had already warned of challenges in meeting these targets; and now workforce reductions have become part of the response. The cuts are part of 4,000 job losses across Europe, including significant layoffs in Germany. Ford's European vice president said that the decision is aimed at securing the company’s future competitiveness in the region.

Germany’s last three nuclear power plants were closed on 15 April. Its car industry has been the market leader for decades. Now production of diesel and petrol engines will end, and gas and oil heating systems will not be installed in homes. Current prosperity, welfare, and economy are being run down and replaced with higher-grade technologies for which technical and personnel replacements are not readily available. Increasing chaos on the railways illustrates the incompatibility of political demands with the current state of infrastructure and the available staffing levels. The political agenda also fuels disruptive actions by climate activists and strikes in the public sector and in state-owned companies. Germany has been entrusted with much historically: the gospel of Jesus Christ, a country of poets and philosophers, a nation with economic stability. Pray for God’s purposes for Germany, not based on history's materialism but on #its God-given identity as a nation.

An annual energy industry exercise to prepare the UK for a possible gas supply emergency has been scaled up to four days instead of two. The potential scenarios include rationing electricity. Industry links the decision to extend the drill to the seriousness of the energy challenges forecast for this winter. The Government says it is a routine part of the energy industry calendar, and insists there is no risk to winter’s gas supplies. A freedom of information request found that business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has not sought any advice from government officials on possible energy rationing. Energy experts have expressed surprise, particularly as other countries are working on such plans. The Government said this was because the UK had one of the most reliable and diverse energy systems in the world, thanks to investment in renewables, nuclear power, and the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Scott Morrison's government is criticised for its inaction on climate change. When Australia - long considered a climate policy laggard – holds an election on 21 May, the outcome could be significant for the planet's future. Still reliant on coal for most electricity, it is one of the dirtiest countries per capita, making up over 1% of global emissions with only 0.3% of the world's population. It is also a massive supplier of fossil fuels globally; when that is factored in, it accounts for 3.6% of the world's emissions. Australia is most at risk from climate change, having recently suffered severe drought, historic bushfires, successive years of record-breaking floods, and six mass bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef. It is racing towards a future full of similar disasters. Climate policy played a role in toppling three prime ministers in a decade. Most voters want tougher climate action, but some coal towns in swing constituencies are key to winning elections.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), sales of weapons and military services by the world’s 100 biggest arms companies saw a record increase of 1.3% compared with the previous year - the sixth consecutive year of growth even as the global economy shrank. Some governments even accelerated payments to the arms industry in order to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 crisis. The USA dominates the industry with about 54% of all sales. Pray for Godly design and protection over all International treaties and agreements. God is shaking nations with wars and threats of war. We can pray for them to demonstrate God’s righteousness, justice, mercy and truth and to model His principles in relation to other countries. Pray for God’s protection over all international treaties and agreements.

Gareth Stace, the director general of UK Steel, said that now was ‘not the time’ for Mr Johnson to go on holiday in Spain. He told him to ‘bang ministerial heads together’ after a row broke out between different departments as to how to resolve the energy crisis and stop factories having to cease production. The business secretary was accused of making misleading claims about offering energy bailouts to factories struggling with soaring costs. Mr Stace said the Government should ‘shield’ the steel industry from soaring energy costs in the short-term, or risk ‘a bigger bill for the taxpayer’. He said that the industry was not seeking subsidies, but an end to ‘policy costs’ to cover the transition towards renewables which have been ‘piled on - making them uncompetitive’. See also