Engineering news
Liberty House Group has begun a recruitment drive for the newly reopened Dalzell and Clydebridge steel plants in Lanarkshire, which the metals and industrial firm acquired from Tata Steel in April 2016.
The agreement to save the two Lanarkshire plants was struck on 24 March and completed in late April. The deal was facilitated by the Scottish government.
Liberty hope to re-employ some ex-Tata employees who lost their jobs when the plate plants were mothballed in October 2015 but applications are also being encouraged from those looking to join the steel industry for the first time.
This first recruitment phase aims to fill up to 100 positions, with the number growing in the new year. The company will spend the summer months recruiting for a wide range of roles, including production, finance, health and safety and administrative positions.
The new management team are working to restart production in mid-September. Once production is re-established, the plants will provide steel plate to industries including ship building, heavy vehicle manufacture, renewable energy, construction and civil engineering, among others.
Liberty will be introducing a range of apprenticeship opportunities, including modern apprenticeships in engineering, finance and commercial planning, a foundation apprenticeship and a graduate apprenticeship.
The company are working in collaboration with the local Job Centre Plus to manage new applications and offer its support to local businesses that are suffering from the downturn in the oil and gas sectors in the region.
Liberty is also working closely with Scottish Enterprise, who has a long standing relationship with the steel plants.
Economy secretary Keith Brown said: “I am delighted to see these plans for recruitment and the resumption of steel production at Dalzell and Clydebridge, following the concerted efforts of the task force involving unions, local authorities and the Scottish government.
“It’s particularly encouraging to see Liberty opening up new apprenticeship opportunities and investing in future workers. Apprenticeships offer our young people better career prospects and have a positive impact on the businesses and industry, bringing value to both employers and the economy.”
Over the past six months Liberty House has saved more than 1,500 jobs at steel plants in Wales and the West Midlands, and it is now looking to re-establish the Scottish plate operations with a new business model, gradually restoring the jobs lost in recent months.
Liberty has a ‘Green Steel’ vision for the plants they have acquired, using renewable energy to melt the readily available supply of scrap in Britain.