First Minister backs Llanelli steel fabricator’s call for industry growth at Senedd event
Llanelli-based steel fabrication company, Shufflebottom Limited, took centre stage at a recent event in the Senedd, where industry leaders, apprentices, and policymakers gathered to celebrate the heritage and future of the Welsh steel sector.
The event, hosted by the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA), reinforced the industry’s deep-rooted importance to Welsh communities and the economy, while also highlighting the opportunities ahead for a greener, more sustainable future. The event also discussed the steelwork industry, which is worth approximately £1.6 billion per year and employs around 60,000 people in the UK.
Shufflebottom Limited, founded as a family business in 1977, has grown into a leading steel fabrication company, now part of Embrace Steel Group. Managing Director Alex Shufflebottom spoke at the event, highlighting both the company’s legacy and its future ambitions. She addressed the ongoing challenges of recruitment, noting that the company has had to employ fabricator/welders and structural engineers from overseas due to a skills shortage in Wales. However, she also shared an optimistic outlook, citing recent investments by Embrace Steel, that align with the company’s long-term growth strategy.
Among those in attendance were young apprentices, who spoke about the need to attract a more diverse and inclusive workforce to ensure the industry’s long-term success. They also underlined the sector’s commitment to innovation, with new technologies driving the transition to low-carbon steel production.
A key focus of the event was the industry’s shift towards more sustainable practices, including the planned introduction of an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) at Port Talbot in 2027, a major step towards reducing carbon emissions while securing the future of Welsh steelmaking, but also an opportunity to provide a sustainable supply chain for constructional steelworkers and fabricators across the UK.
Speakers included First Minister, Eluned Morgan, who reaffirmed the Welsh Government’s commitment to supporting the sector, and Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy. Jonathan Clemens, CEO of the British Constructional Steelwork Association, also addressed attendees, alongside a Q&A session with apprentices from the constructional steelwork firm William Hare. Rhianon Passmore MS, who sponsored the event and delivered the closing remarks, also spoke about the importance of the steel sector in Wales.
Alex Shufflebottom said: “Steel has been at the heart of Wales’ industrial success for generations. The steel industry alone accounts for 50% of the UK’s steel demand, and innovation in fabrication and erection methods is key to its future. To truly unlock the sector’s potential, we need the next generation of skilled workers, and companies like Shufflebottom Ltd are instrumental in leading this charge.”
Speaking at the event Eluned Morgan, First Minister, said: “For over a century we have had Steel as the backbone of Welsh industries. It has shaped the homes we live in, the schools for our children, and hospitals that care for us.
“Innovation is absolutely key for how we design and produce steel with real opportunities for growth and jobs, making this a priority for the Welsh government.”
Comment from Jonathan Clemens, CEO of BCSA: “It was great to hear first hand, from Alex Shufflebottom, the MD of Shufflebottom Ltd, on how they are overcoming the skills shortage through engagement with schools, supporting apprentices and recruitment from outside the UK. Constructional steel is a significant and substantive sector in the UK with a turnover in excess of £1.6bn creating interesting, diverse, well-paid jobs and value that supports communities and is reinvested.”