Aluminium sector seeking support

Sheffield businessman Mark Neville has backed calls for the Government to help to create thousands of new jobs by backing the development of the aluminium sector in the UK.

Mr Neville, from Sheffield Business Park-based Siemens Metal Technologies, told a special briefing at the Houses of parliament: “The truth is the aluminium industry has the potential to create UK jobs – so investment in the sector is vital.

“The Government needs to ensure this market is at the heart of its industrial strategy – and that this remains clearly connected to the UK automotive industry which is undergoing a great industrial revival now.”

Siemens Metals Technologies is a global leader in the metals extraction and processing sectors, developing equipment for the mining, iron and steel making industries and the flat rolling sector of the aluminium industry.

Its head office, in Sheffield, specialises in design and engineering solutions for plate and aluminium rolling mills as well as metallurgical services, continuous casting and long rolling.

Speakers at the briefing included motoring broadcaster and fuel campaigner Quentin Willson.

He called for champion aluminium development, by introducing tax benefits supporting research and development and reducing scrap exports.

The former Top Gear presenter told Parliamentarians: “We have the chance to develop a fantastic industry in aluminium here in the UK which would create thousands of new jobs.

“The country already leads the world in low emission technology but we should also be leading in aluminium development, because that is how we are going to make vehicles even more environmentally-friendly, fuel efficient and recyclable.”