The UK steel supply chain is set to undergo significant transformation with the launch of a new project called IGNITE. This initiative aims to leverage university research to accelerate industrial decarbonisation within the UK's manufacturing industry, focusing on enhancing strategic, environmental, and economic resilience in sectors such as defence, transport, and energy.
As domestic demand for green steel continues to grow beyond current supply capabilities, IGNITE seeks to bolster local steel production while reducing emissions and promoting low-carbon business models. The project will explore innovative methods for managing, tracking, and recycling high-quality scrap metal in the UK. It also aims to reshape steel design and usage to maintain quality and extend product life.
IGNITE stands for Indigenous Green-steel for Net-zero Innovation, Technology and Enterprise. Led by Professor Cameron Pleydell-Pearce from Swansea University's Materials Engineering department, the project has secured £11 million in funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under their Sustainable Manufacturing Research Hubs program. An additional £11.9 million comes from partner contributions.
The seven-year research program will bring together various stakeholders across the supply chain including steelmakers, scrap processors, steel users, policymakers, and academic experts from multiple universities. Swansea University will lead this collaborative effort alongside the Universities of Leicester, Sheffield, and Warwick. Over 30 strategic partners are involved in this venture including British Steel, Network Rail, Nissan, and Rolls-Royce.
Cameron Pleydell-Pearce commented on the project's significance: "Steel has never been more important to the UK; it’s a key material in everyday life. If something’s not made of steel, it’s made using steel."
He added that "the IGNITE Hub will give us the opportunity to work with industry, supporting the resilience of the UK’s manufacturing sector on the road to net-zero. This groundbreaking project will benefit everyone who relies on and uses steel products.”