British Steel, the UK’s sole manufacturer of rail, has unveiled a £10 million rail stocking facility, the largest of its kind in the country.
Located at the company’s headquarters in Scunthorpe, the new hub is designed to support the supply of rails to Network Rail, ensuring a ready supply of stock for the supply chain.
Craig Harvey, British Steel’s Commercial Director, Rail, said: “We are committed to building the railways of the future, and this investment supports the government’s ambition to improve rail travel and connectivity throughout the UK.
“It will also enhance our long-term strategic partnership with Network Rail – a partnership which helps millions of UK passengers and freight operators enjoy safe, enjoyable, and timely journeys. Together we have an integral role to play in strengthening the UK’s infrastructure, enabling development, and supporting hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs in the supply chain.
“The new facility is the latest in a series of major investments in British Steel by our owner, Jingye, which is resolute in its commitment to enhancing our operations and helping us build a sustainable future for our business.
“British Steel is proud to be a global leader in rail production and innovation, and ventures like this will help ensure we keep delivering the high-quality products and services our customers demand.”
Julia Territt, Network Rail’s Supply Chain Operations Director, said: “We have a long running relationship with British Steel, who support the delivery of our track maintenance, renewal and enhancement activities.
“Our focus remains on ensuring that we have continued delivery of rail supply, now and into the future, so that we can continue delivering reliable services for our passengers. We’re pleased to see the ongoing commitment to supporting the UK rail network with the investment in the new facilities in Scunthorpe.”
The new facility offers a central UK location for the safe handling, storage, and dispatch of rails. All stocked rails undergo rigorous testing and quality assurance checks to meet stringent specifications. With a capacity to store around 25,000 tonnes of rail, the facility is equipped with 11 multi-gantry hoists to load finished rail stock onto customer rolling stock for delivery to mainline routes across the UK.
Craig Harvey said: “British Steel combines dedicated customer service with world-class design and technical consultancy to develop and deliver high-quality rail solutions. Our new stocking facility will help us build upon this, and we look forward to continuing to work with operators, in the UK and globally, to help them overcome the challenges they face.”
