The investment replaces steel-strength testing equipment and upgrades facilities with the latest robotic testing equipment, supporting efforts to ensure products continue to meet or exceed customer requirements. Tata Steel supplies almost 50% of the steel for UK carmakers, for use in body panels, chassis components and wheels. Increasingly these are technologically advanced high strength steel grades.

Peter Barnes, Section Manager Technical Laboratories at Tata Steel said: “Steel coils we manufacture have to undergo rigorous testing before they can be released.

“The test involves loading a small sample with up to 25 tonnes of force to confirm its strength. This is done in Port Talbot, with support from a team of technicians at our Llanwern site.

“This upgrade guarantees that steel for the automotive sector meets the necessary customer and product specifications in the longer term. It has enhanced a vital part of the Port Talbot steelworks.”

This announcement is part of a series of planned investments Tata Steel is making in its UK business to strengthen reliability and allow the development and production of high-performing steels demanded by customers.

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For further information: Damien Brook on T. +44 (0)207 717 4532 or damien.brook@tatasteel.com

Notes to editors:

About Tata Steel’s European operations

Tata Steel is one of Europe's leading steel producers, with steelmaking in the UK and Netherlands, and manufacturing plants across Europe. The company supplies high-quality steel products to the most demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering. Tata Steel works with customers to develop new steel products that give them a competitive edge. The combined Tata Steel group is one of the top global steel companies, with an annual steel capacity of 27.5 million tonnes and almost 74,000 employees across five continents. The group’s revenue in the year ending March 2017 was $18.1 billion.