Can Britain restore lost steel capacity by investing in rolling mills and reopening discontinued plant?
Short answerInvestment is needed, but restarting a closed furnace can require extensive rebuilding at considerable cost.
NotesReinvestment in rolling mills would address only part of the problem of restoring steel capacity. Closed furnaces can require extensive rebuilding before production resumes. The Port Talbot example explains why maintaining an operating furnace and restoring a closed one are different industrial decisions.