Some people will be aware that the plan to transform our UK business and create a ‘green’ steelmaking future in Port Talbot has been called “Project Invictus” for some time.

I guess now that we have planning approval to start building the Electric Arc Furnace (along with a whole host of other things), it’s a name that may become more widely known. 

You might recognise the name from the film about the 1995 South African World Cup winning rugby team. But it’s also a Roman by-word for ‘undefeated’, which, given people’s willingness and guts to keep going in the face of adversity, nicely sums up what this place is all about.

I quite like it. 

As the latest project milestone came around last week, I found myself sitting quietly next to our CEO, Rajesh Nair, in the red-leather-clad, semi-circular council chamber in Port Talbot as local councillors on the Planning Committee set themselves to vote on our planning application.

 One councillor broke the tension by announcing in true Simon Cowell style: “It’s a big fat yes from me!”

After the Planning Officer had taken everyone through a detailed slideshow of the application, the floor was opened up for questions. 

We all looked across the chamber expectantly…

Because whilst the steelworks has undoubtedly provided good, well-paid employment for people across the entire region, I have been around long enough to understand the impact that our business has had on our community over many years. 

So, I totally understand representatives of that community expressing some hostility towards us when the chance arises.

But this was not that day.

Because the importance of what this small group of local people was about to decide upon, was lost on no-one.

Effectively they had the choice of either saying ‘Yes’ to a £1.25 billion investment over a three-year period, in about three square miles, ensuring the future of 5000 jobs across the UK…

…or something else.

The speeches in the council chamber were heartfelt, considered and passionate.

“We have to embrace the future”

“We are a steel town; we want to keep that badge”

“Port Talbot has always been a technology leader”

“People said it would never happen, but it IS happening.”

“Thank you to Tata for keeping faith”

“We’re proud to have Tata in our community”

I was truly touched. 

Maybe it is some recognition that despite all the problems over many years, our community sees a business that is full of people trying to do the right thing; a business that is part of the community rather than one that happens to exist within it. 

The steelworks has always been part of the Port Talbot family.

And like most families, we’re happy to argue and question each other. 

But when push comes to shove and the chips are down, it is a family that comes together to overcome the odds and make sure we have a future together.

So, when it came to the vote (despite the fact that we were all pretty confident of a positive outcome) it felt like an episode of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ as the councillors were asked one-by-one whether they approved the proposal. 

It was all quite stressful – it felt like our fate was in their hands.

Luckily, one councillor broke the tension by announcing in true Simon Cowell style: “It’s a big fat yes from me!”

And so, our proposal was approved and we all breathed a sigh of relief. 

As I drove back to the works after the hearing, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude – not just to the local councillors performing their civic duty, but more to the hundreds of people who had worked so hard to get us to this place: to the engineers, the environmental specialists, the planning experts, the drawing office, legal eagles and communication specialists. 

Because whilst the final planning approval—and the future of the whole investment programme—was in the hands of a few councillors, the fact that it was almost impossible for them to come to any other conclusion, was down to the hard and longstanding efforts of our own people in preparing our submission.

So, we are actually masters of our own fate, and we would do well to keep remembering that. 

Each of us has a responsibility for the future of steelmaking in the UK; each of us has the opportunity—responsibility, even—to be the best we can be, every day.

Because it’s that important.

Peter

Peter Jones is the Project Manager for the design and installation of the new 3 million tonnes-a-year Electric Arc Furnace and the Continuous Casters life-extension at Port Talbot Steelworks in South Wales