The sale covers several South Yorkshire-based assets including the electric arc steelworks and bar mill at Rotherham, the steel purifying facility in Stocksbridge and a mill in Brinsworth as well as service centres in Bolton and Wednesbury, UK, and in Suzhou and Xi'an, China. Speciality Steels directly employs about 1,700 people making steels for the aerospace, automotive and the oil & gas industries.

Bimlendra Jha, CEO of Tata Steel UK, said: “As a responsible owner, Tata Steel in the last couple of years has undertaken a transformation plan at Speciality Steels, including investing in a state-of-the-art vacuum induction melting furnace, to ensure the business can have a sustainable future.

“We thank the employees, trade unions and management of Speciality Steels for their diligent hard work in the journey to turn around the business in difficult times and we wish them a successful future under new ownership.”

Tata Steel UK recently completed a consultation with its employees on proposals to structurally reduce risks in its wider UK business. It is also in discussions with the British Steel Pension Scheme trustees and the Pension Regulator to develop a structural solution for its UK pension scheme in the coming months.

Tata Steel’s UK business continues its process of transformation that is essential to create a viable future for its UK strip products business. Tata Steel’s strip products business will continue to employ almost 8,500 people in the UK, manufacturing products for sectors like the automotive and construction industries.

Tata Steel has invested £1.5 billion in its UK business since acquiring Corus in 2007. New investments to improve manufacturing capability will enable the production of premium steels in Shotton, Llanwern, Trostre, and Orb in Newport, as well as environmental schemes for Port Talbot's power plant. Investments in packaging steels, electrical steels, an automotive finishing line, laser welding and next-generation coated products support the company’s focus on making differentiated and advanced steel products for key manufacturers in the UK and elsewhere.

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For further information contact:

Tata Steel:
Damien Brook on +44(0)7818 588545

Liberty House Group:
Eoghan Mortell on 07977 555116
Jess Beeken or Anthea Crowe on 029 2045 5182

Notes to editors:
The Speciality Steels business is made up of the following facilities:
• Thrybergh – electric arc steelmaking and Thrybergh bar mill, Rotherham
• Brinsworth narrow strip mill, Rotherham
• Stocksbridge remelt facilities and rolling mill
• Bolton service centre
• Wednesbury service centre
• Suzhou and Xi'an service centres, China