A new deal with Network Rail will see Tata Steel’s Scunthorpe plant supply around 140,000 tons of rail per year – about 95% of the total required.
ArcelorMittal and VoestAlpine are also part of the five year deal, which will supply a variety of rail types in a bid to keep pace with Network Rail’s rolling programme of improvements. Says Henrik Adam, chief commercial officer of Tata Steel, ‘This is fantastic news. I am delighted the rail network in Britain will continue to be made and maintained with our UK rail.’
The Network Rail deal will account for around 5% of the annual steel output from Tata Steel’s Scunthorpe site and will include some of the latest, harder- wearing high performance rail. A sure-fire supply line is essential.
Says Patrick Butcher, Network Rail’s group finance director, ‘We are renewing and enhancing more and more of Britain’s railway over the next five years and it’s crucial that we have a trusted and secure supply chain to help us achieve that safely and efficiently.’ Rail supplied by Network Rail’s contractors will range from the common CEN60 and CEN 56 types, to conductor rail and old-style bullhead.
