Panteg Steel Works
Encyclopedia
The Panteg Steel Works was situated in the village of Panteg
, adjacent
to Sebastopol, and Griffithstown
, in the district of
Torfaen
, South Wales
. The steel works was founded in
1873, and operated for over 130 years until its
closure in 2004.http://archive.thisisgwent.co.uk/2003/10/24/65152.html A number
of 'firsts' occurred at Panteg Steel Works during its long life, including the
first full production of stainless steel
in the UK outside Sheffield
in 1944,
the installation of the first production vertical caster
in the UK in 1960, p. 34 and the commissioning of British Steel's first Argon Oxygen Decarburizer in 1972., p. 44
Planning permission was given to turn the works into residential housing in 2010,http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/archive/2010/09/06/News+%28fps_news%29/8367934.Homes_plan_approved_for_Sebastopol_on_former_Panteg_steelworks_site/ when the site became the Parc Panteg housing estate.http://www.persimmonhomes.com/parc-panteg-2086#siteplan
Copestake & Co, to produce steel rails and other items for export to India. The works were supervised by Captain J.R. Wright, Isaac Butler and Benjamin Smith. It is claimed that the first sheet steel in Britain was rolled in Staffordshire in 1876 from a bloom
made in Panteg by Isaac Butler., p. 6. In 1882 the site was acquired by Wright, Butler and Co Ltd. The works was taken over by Baldwins Ltd in 1902 and a Wellman furnace charging machine was installed, the first machine of its kind to be introduced in Wales., p. 62. During the First World War, Panteg Steel Works was engaged in making steel for munitions, much like other steel works throughout Britain.
In 1935 an electric arc furnace
of 5 tons capacity was introduced, followed by 10 ton electric arc furnaces in 1940 and an increase in electrical capacity in 1944. These developments enabled production to be increased during the Second World War, when Panteg produced armour plating, armour piercing steel and high manganese steel for helmets. In 1945 Baldwins Ltd merged with Richard Thomas Ltd
to form Richard Thomas and Baldwins
(RTB) Ltd. Panteg then became one of the leading producers of high-grade alloy steels, including stainless steels. In 1951 the works was nationalised briefly under the Iron & Steel Corporation of Great Britain, but later in 1951 it reverted to Richard Thomas & Baldwins Ltd and a cold strip plant was installed.
In 1957 Arthur J. Pritchard described how Panteg Steel Works had enjoyed thirty years of good industrial relations, unlike many other sites of heavy industry during the same period. He gave the credit for this to a management policy known as "Sociability", which included a social club and a welfare programme. The social club was located at Panteg House, which had previously been the residence of the Managing-Director, and offered a range of leisure facilities aimed at both workers and management. These included reading rooms, games rooms, bar, concert room, canteen and space for music and dramatic productions. Outside there were facilities for sports including football, cricket and tennis. The works also provided a medical service which consisted of a surgery and a doctor who was available for consultation by all staff, regardless of their status. By providing valued benefits, and enabling a culture of interaction and discussion, Pritchard believed that the management of Panteg Steel Works had made it easy to find agreement when round the negotiating table, and so avoid disruptive clashes with the workforce.
In 1967 Panteg Steel Works became part of the British Steel Corporation (BSC) and a new melting shop was built in 1971. The works became part of British Steel Plc in 1988 and a Horizontal Continuous Billet Casting Machine was introduced. By this stage 900 employees were producing stainless steel for a variety of products including beer kegs, sinks, hospital equipment and vehicle trim., p. 43.
In 1992 the site was taken over by Avesta Sheffield Ltd, a company formed from the merger of British Steel Stainless Ltd and the Swedish company Avesta AB. Between 1992 and 1996, worldwide investment in the Stainless Long Products industry reached an intense level and competition from larger steel works put the Panteg Melting Shop under severe pressure. Although the work-force made determined efforts to remain competitive, closure of the melting shop was announced in September 1996. On 12 December 1996, the last furnace of cast steel was made at Panteg, but stainless steel coil processing of over 50,000 tonnes per annum continued.
Panteg
Panteg is a village in the county borough of Torfaen, Wales. It is adjacent to Griffithstown, between the towns of Cwmbran and Pontypool. The village is best known for Panteg Steel Works, which finally closed in 2004....
, adjacent
to Sebastopol, and Griffithstown
Griffithstown
Griffithstown is a large community of Pontypool in the borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May, 1898, from Llanfrechfa Upper and Panteg, and includes Sebastopol, but, under the provisions of the Local Government Act...
, in the district of
Torfaen
Torfaen
Torfaen is a county borough in Wales within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It was originally formed in 1974 as a district of the county of Gwent and in 1996 it was reconstituted as a unitary authority.-Education:...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. The steel works was founded in
1873, and operated for over 130 years until its
closure in 2004.http://archive.thisisgwent.co.uk/2003/10/24/65152.html A number
of 'firsts' occurred at Panteg Steel Works during its long life, including the
first full production of stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
in the UK outside Sheffield
Economy of Sheffield
Sheffield has an international reputation for metallurgy and steel-making. It was this industry that established it as one of England's main industrial cities during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. This industry used Sheffield's unique combination of local Iron, Coal and water power supplied by...
in 1944,
the installation of the first production vertical caster
Continuous casting
Continuous casting, also called strand casting, is the process whereby molten metal is solidified into a "semifinished" billet, bloom, or slab for subsequent rolling in the finishing mills. Prior to the introduction of continuous casting in the 1950s, steel was poured into stationary molds to form...
in the UK in 1960, p. 34 and the commissioning of British Steel's first Argon Oxygen Decarburizer in 1972., p. 44
Planning permission was given to turn the works into residential housing in 2010,http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/archive/2010/09/06/News+%28fps_news%29/8367934.Homes_plan_approved_for_Sebastopol_on_former_Panteg_steelworks_site/ when the site became the Parc Panteg housing estate.http://www.persimmonhomes.com/parc-panteg-2086#siteplan
History
In 1873 the Panteg Steel and Engineering Company Ltd was founded by SampsonCopestake & Co, to produce steel rails and other items for export to India. The works were supervised by Captain J.R. Wright, Isaac Butler and Benjamin Smith. It is claimed that the first sheet steel in Britain was rolled in Staffordshire in 1876 from a bloom
Bloom
Bloom or blooming may refer to:-Science and nature:* Bloom, one or more flowers on a flowering plant* Algal bloom, a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in an aquatic system...
made in Panteg by Isaac Butler., p. 6. In 1882 the site was acquired by Wright, Butler and Co Ltd. The works was taken over by Baldwins Ltd in 1902 and a Wellman furnace charging machine was installed, the first machine of its kind to be introduced in Wales., p. 62. During the First World War, Panteg Steel Works was engaged in making steel for munitions, much like other steel works throughout Britain.
In 1935 an electric arc furnace
Electric arc furnace
An electric arc furnace is a furnace that heats charged material by means of an electric arc.Arc furnaces range in size from small units of approximately one ton capacity up to about 400 ton units used for secondary steelmaking...
of 5 tons capacity was introduced, followed by 10 ton electric arc furnaces in 1940 and an increase in electrical capacity in 1944. These developments enabled production to be increased during the Second World War, when Panteg produced armour plating, armour piercing steel and high manganese steel for helmets. In 1945 Baldwins Ltd merged with Richard Thomas Ltd
Richard Thomas (tin plate manufacturer)
Richard Thomas was an English tin plate manufacturer. He was the founder of Richard Thomas & Co., which later merged with Baldwins Ltd to become Richard Thomas and Baldwins, which in turn was absorbed into British Steel in the 1960s.-Biography:...
to form Richard Thomas and Baldwins
Richard Thomas and Baldwins
Richard Thomas and Baldwins Ltd was a major United Kingdom iron, steel and tinplate producer, formed in 1948 by the merger of Richard Thomas & Co Ltd with Baldwins Ltd. It was absorbed into British Steel in 1967...
(RTB) Ltd. Panteg then became one of the leading producers of high-grade alloy steels, including stainless steels. In 1951 the works was nationalised briefly under the Iron & Steel Corporation of Great Britain, but later in 1951 it reverted to Richard Thomas & Baldwins Ltd and a cold strip plant was installed.
In 1957 Arthur J. Pritchard described how Panteg Steel Works had enjoyed thirty years of good industrial relations, unlike many other sites of heavy industry during the same period. He gave the credit for this to a management policy known as "Sociability", which included a social club and a welfare programme. The social club was located at Panteg House, which had previously been the residence of the Managing-Director, and offered a range of leisure facilities aimed at both workers and management. These included reading rooms, games rooms, bar, concert room, canteen and space for music and dramatic productions. Outside there were facilities for sports including football, cricket and tennis. The works also provided a medical service which consisted of a surgery and a doctor who was available for consultation by all staff, regardless of their status. By providing valued benefits, and enabling a culture of interaction and discussion, Pritchard believed that the management of Panteg Steel Works had made it easy to find agreement when round the negotiating table, and so avoid disruptive clashes with the workforce.
In 1967 Panteg Steel Works became part of the British Steel Corporation (BSC) and a new melting shop was built in 1971. The works became part of British Steel Plc in 1988 and a Horizontal Continuous Billet Casting Machine was introduced. By this stage 900 employees were producing stainless steel for a variety of products including beer kegs, sinks, hospital equipment and vehicle trim., p. 43.
In 1992 the site was taken over by Avesta Sheffield Ltd, a company formed from the merger of British Steel Stainless Ltd and the Swedish company Avesta AB. Between 1992 and 1996, worldwide investment in the Stainless Long Products industry reached an intense level and competition from larger steel works put the Panteg Melting Shop under severe pressure. Although the work-force made determined efforts to remain competitive, closure of the melting shop was announced in September 1996. On 12 December 1996, the last furnace of cast steel was made at Panteg, but stainless steel coil processing of over 50,000 tonnes per annum continued.