Community Welcomes Heathrow–7 Steel Memorandum of Understanding

Community’s position on steelmaking has always been clear: British infrastructure should be built with British steel.

We therefore welcome the landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Heathrow and 7 Steel, signed this week at 7 Steel’s advanced Cardiff facility.

The agreement is a strong vote of confidence in the UK steel industry, British manufacturing and the skilled steelworkers who power our economy.

Paul McKenna, Community Union’s National Secretary for Steel, attended the MoU signing and said:

“Community has long argued that public and private investment should be used to support our strategically important steel industry wherever possible. This agreement between Heathrow and 7 Steel is a welcome example of that approach in action. It is another clear commitment that the benefits of expansion will be felt across the country by supporting good, skilled jobs in communities outside of London and the South East. It is in the interests of our steelworkers that this project now moves ahead without delay and unlocks the opportunities it promises as soon as possible.”

Securing jobs and strengthening communities

Heathrow’s planned expansion is expected to require up to 400,000 tonnes of steel during construction( around one-sixth of the UK’s annual production). The partnership therefore offers a vital, long-term pipeline of work.

The agreement will also channel private investment into Welsh steelmaking and the communities that rely on it. As the steelworkers’ union, we know that secure, high-quality contracts sustain thriving local economies. The partnership will:

• Protect skills: secure highly skilled jobs for the next generation of steelworkers.
• Drive regional growth: strengthen Wales and supply chains beyond London and the South East.
• Build on a proven partnership: extend a relationship of more than 20 years, during which 7 Steel supplied over 150,000 tonnes for major projects including Terminal 5.

Setting the standard for national infrastructure

Following Heathrow’s signing of the UK Steel Charter last year, this agreement sends a clear message to major developers and government planners: buy British steel.

It also shows how large infrastructure projects can drive reindustrialisation by directing hundreds of millions of pounds into domestic supply chains.

We congratulate Heathrow and 7 Steel on this important partnership. We will continue working with members, employers and industry partners to keep British steel at the heart of the UK’s economic future.