Politicians make the case for a Materials Catapult
Steel Industry Debate - House of Commons 11th May 2016
Politicians make the case for a Materials Catapult and innovation in steel to underpin manufacturing in the UK with Steel Industry Minister, Anna Soubry, acknowledging the Materials Processing Institute.
Extracts from the debate:
Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab):
That brings me to the steel sector materials catapult and international competitiveness. The UK has some of the best expertise available globally for innovation in steel. As a result of its extensive expertise in both materials and energy, the Materials Processing Institute has been approached to join a national Swedish initiative to transform the steel industry in that country from coal-based to hydrogen and renewable energy over the next 20 years. At the end of this month, the institute will receive a delegation from the German steel industry, which has an interest in transitioning to more recycled and electric steelmaking. Meanwhile, the UK has the opportunity, through the materials catapult proposal, to take advantage of our home expertise and leap ahead of our European Competitors...
Anna Soubry (The Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise)
I know that he (Tom Blenkinsop) wants to talk to me about the Materials Processing Institute, which officials visited yesterday, and I think we are making real movement there...
Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab):
The Minister should put investment in innovation at the heart of her support for the steel industry and place it at the heart of the much-needed industrial strategy for steel...
Anna Turley (Redcar) (Lab/Co-op):
I urge the Minister to give a high priority to the benefit of the materials Catapult on Teesside at the Materials Processing Institute. The Materials Processing Institute pilot-scale electric arc furnace in Redcar is the only example of its kind in the UK and offers innovation, process development and future opportunities in the adoption of electric arc furnace technology...
On the Materials Processing Institute facility, no other such facility in Europe possesses equal capability. Support for a materials Catapult on Teesside will give British steel making the cutting edge in research and development, encouraging greater investment and resilience for the industry...
12 May 2016
